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Summary: This Muslim traveler guide to Beijing covers the Africa Day event, local Muslim community scenes, and travel culture details from the original Chinese article.

This article summarizes the key points of the lively Africa Day event in Beijing. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it perfect for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic articles, as well as those searching for halal food in China.

May 25 is Africa Liberation Day, a day to remember the national liberation of Africa. It started on May 25, 1963, when 32 African countries signed the Charter of the Organization of African Unity. African countries hold celebrations around May 25 every year. This year, the embassies of various African countries in Beijing held a lively Africa Day event at Chaoyang Park.



As soon as I entered, I heard happy African drumming. I walked over and saw some men from Tanzania in East Africa playing drums and singing in Swahili. The most famous song was the one from The Lion King, 'Hakuna Matata,' which means 'no worries.' Everyone was very happy. My son, Suleiman, joined in and played an African drum, and he had a great time.





I kept walking inside and reached the music stage for Sierra Leone in West Africa. Besides African drums, I saw the beaded shaker (shegbureh) of the Mende people. It is made of a hollowed-out gourd handle inside a cotton net, with wooden beads or hard seeds strung into the net. When playing it, you hold the knot of the rope in one hand and shake the gourd with the other, making the gourd hit and rub against the net.





The third area was the drumming and music stage for Cameroon. I saw the classic Tam-tam drum used by Cameroonians during celebrations. It is played with two drumsticks and has a very powerful sound.





After listening for a while, I saw Dosdani from Sudan also playing the drums and singing. Sudanese Arabs have lighter skin, while the Nubian and Fur people have darker skin. Because of long-term intermarriage and integration, you can see that the appearance of the Sudanese people is very diverse, and their culture is very multicultural.





The last thing I listened to was the singing and dancing of people from Liberia in West Africa. Since the 19th century, many freed American slaves were settled in Liberia, so their music is a blend of African and American styles. Liberian dancing is very bold and uses large, sweeping movements.



The snacks at Africa Day in Beijing started with Barakawy dates from Sudan and Deglet Nour dates from Algeria. The Sudanese ones are drier, while the Algerian dates on the branch are oilier. Both are very sweet. The Sahara oases in North Africa are major date producers. Algeria's Deglet Nour dates are known as the "queen of dates." The flesh is soft and chewy with a honey-like flavor, hints of caramel and nuts, and a high sweetness that isn't cloying. Sudanese dates are mainly grown along the Nile and in northern oases. The Barakawy variety is the most common; it is dark brown, quite dry, firm, and very sweet.









Next, I tasted the beef jerky (kilichi) from Niger. Kilichi is a traditional food of the Hausa people in the West African Sahel region. It was originally invented to preserve meat during nomadic travel and trade, and it has since become a national snack in countries like Niger and Nigeria. The secret to kilichi is the roasted peanut powder, along with ginger, garlic, and onion powder. This makes it richer and more fibrous than regular beef jerky. Kilichi comes in three spice levels, and I tried all of them at the event. The spiciest version is Kilichi Rouge, which uses a lot of red chili and is very popular. The regular version is Roumouzou, which is mild and fragrant, making it perfect for those who don't like spicy food. There is another type called Tessaoua that is just wrapped in spices and sun-dried without smoking, giving it a fresher taste.







I also ate a flaky pastry made by a sister from Mali that tasted like a cookie. Mali is in the heart of West Africa and once built the wealthy Mali Empire, but it later became one of the poorest regions in the world. Right now, various riots are still breaking out across Mali, and the society is very unstable.







Ethiopian coffee, Djiboutian incense, Tunisian mosaics, and a Somali booth.

Ethiopia is the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and coffee is named after its place of origin, Kaffa. Local shepherds reportedly noticed their sheep were excited and sleepless after eating coffee beans, so they tried them and felt energized, and later the villagers started eating them too. However, early coffee in Ethiopia was only chewed or used in medicinal meals, and it was only after Yemeni merchants brought it across the Red Sea that commercial planting began.







Djibouti is located in the Horn of Africa in the northeast, guarding the throat of the Red Sea, and the vast majority of its citizens belong to the Shafi'i school. Djiboutian incense centers on frankincense and myrrh, mixed with jasmine, amber, and agarwood, and burned using a traditional incense burner (dabqaad). The frankincense comes from the resin of the frankincense tree and has a warm, woody, and slightly sweet scent with fresh citrus notes, making it the soul of Djiboutian incense. Myrrh has a deep, smoky, and slightly bitter scent and is often mixed with frankincense.











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Summary: This halal food guide to Tianjin covers Hui Muslim tea restaurants, handmade burger shops, halal food in China, and local Muslim dining details.

This article covers two new tea restaurants and one handmade burger shop opened by Hui Muslims in Tianjin. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it perfect for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing, as well as those searching for halal food in China.

I heard about two new tea restaurants and an American-style burger shop in Tianjin, so I went to try them out this weekend.

I took the intercity train to Tianjin West Station, then transferred to Line 4 to reach Tianmu. The new subway line was very empty. After leaving the Tianmu subway station, I crossed the street and saw the newly opened Cantonese tea restaurant, Hanmei, at the intersection. They used to sell rice noodle rolls (changfen) at the Shunyi Road night market before opening their own shop.

Their main dishes are roast goose and rice noodle rolls (changfen). We ordered half a roast goose, mushroom and shrimp rice noodle rolls, Cantonese-style beef rice noodle rolls, curry fish balls, tiger skin chicken feet, and radish beef offal. The roast goose tasted good, but the skin was quite fatty and felt more like the skin of Beijing roast duck. The shrimp tasted great, and the Cantonese-style beef tasted similar to the beef stew we Hui Muslims make, just a bit sweeter. The rice noodle roll skin was very thin and had a mild flavor. The curry fish balls were delicious, but the chicken feet felt a bit dry. The radish beef offal was not well-made, and the flavor was completely off. If you want to try Cantonese flavors, you can come here, but it still falls short compared to the Hui Muslim restaurants in Guangzhou or the restaurant in the Aiqun Hotel in Hong Kong. Next time I have a chance, I will come back to try their claypot rice (baozai fan).



















North of Tianmu in Tianjin is Tianzhong, which used to be the compound for the Tianjin Heavy Machinery Factory, and it has many different restaurants. A new Hong Kong-style tea restaurant called Xiao Chu Jie opened on Tianzhong Road. We ordered iced lemon tea, Hong Kong-style pulled milk tea, and passion fruit tea, and we ate the 'rich mudslide' dessert and the 'leaky milk' French toast (lounaihua). Their iced lemon tea is very refreshing, and the milk tea has a strong tea flavor that is very satisfying.

The leaky milk French toast is a viral dessert in Hong Kong-style tea restaurants, essentially a luxurious, exploding version of French toast (xiduoshi). To make it, they press a small dent into the top of two thick slices of toast and pour over a thick milk sauce made from milk, condensed milk, and butter, then sprinkle a thick layer of malt cocoa powder on top. When you cut into it, the milk sauce flows out like a mudslide. Because the malt cocoa powder used in Hong Kong-style tea restaurants is the Swiss brand Ovaltine, the dish gets its name 'leaky milk' (lounaihua).



















In the evening, I walked around the night market on Shunyi Road in Tianmu and ate shaved ice. Since Metro Line 4 opened, it is much easier to get to Tianmu, so I probably won't go to the Northwest Corner as often. I ate at this Ciertou Shaved Ice shop in Tianmu last year, and I came back to eat here again this time. I always order the old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) I love, topped with sour hawthorn paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, red hawthorn berries, and red beans. It really whets the appetite. They also have fresh lychee milk ice, which is only sold during lychee season. When we arrived, the owner was just opening a crate of fresh lychees, and they looked very fresh indeed.













Shunyidao Night Market now has barbecue on one side and snacks on the other. It is great to walk around, with options like sweet soup (tangshui), teppanyaki squid, duck snacks, and octopus balls (takoyaki) available.







We kept walking through the Tianmu Shunyidao Night Market and bought some egg waffles (jidanzi). We got chocolate, beef floss, and original flavors. The egg and milk aroma was very strong. They were very hot when freshly made, so we had to let them cool down before eating. Suleiman really liked the chocolate flavor.







Then we bought some teppanyaki hot dogs, which were also very affordable.













We came to the Honghuli Food Street in Tianjin on the weekend to try a newly opened American-style burger shop. Honghuli is an old-fashioned residential area built in the 1980s. It is only one subway stop away from Tianjin West Railway Station, making it very convenient to reach. There are many Hui Muslim restaurants here, both traditional and modern. Unlike the Northwest Corner, it is not very commercialized, and most of the customers are locals.

Hello Handmade Burger Shop is on Honghu South Road, surrounded by many other food spots. The owner is a relative of the imam at Fuxingzhuang Mosque, so the food is halal and the quality is guaranteed. We had the American-style double beef burger and the black truffle black tiger shrimp burger. Both were huge. Their burger buns are unique. The green ones are made with spinach powder and the black ones with squid ink. They are custom-made and have absolutely no preservatives.

The beef patties are fresh and firm. After pan-frying, they are rich, fragrant, and juicy. The double patties give a great meaty texture, and with the sauce and toppings, the flavors build up and get better with every bite. The black tiger shrimp in the black truffle burger is plump and bouncy with a distinct sweet, fresh taste. It blends perfectly with the rich aroma of black truffle, creating a delicate yet chewy texture.

The shop is quite small, so you might have to wait for a table during meal times. If it is not too sunny, you can also eat outside by the door and chat while you eat.

















Next to the burger shop is Yuansu Zhai Lao Wei Juanquan. They sell homemade dark plum drink (wumeitang) and dried tangerine peel passion fruit pear juice. Both are all-natural and cannot be kept overnight. The dark plum drink contains licorice, mint, roselle, dried tangerine peel, hawthorn, mulberry, and osmanthus. The dried tangerine peel passion fruit pear juice contains lemon, lotus seeds, and lily bulbs. Both taste great. Cold drinks go really well with burgers.



















Previous Tianjin food shares:

Taking the kids to Tianjin in the summer to see the sea and eat seafood.

Tianjin's halal food is so comprehensive: pasta, yakitori, Yemeni flatbread, Swiss cheese fondue, and rice balls.

Autumn food tour in Tianjin: Syrian food, giant river prawns (luoshi xia), yellow broth ramen, Turkish restaurants, and Xinjiang fresh milk ice cream.

Taking kids out to eat in Tianjin: Yemeni food, Algerian desserts, rice noodle rolls (changfen), Japanese food, and water caltrop soup (lingjiao tang).

Eating Arabic food in Tianjin: Syrian, Yemeni, Tunisian, and Algerian.

Between the mountains and the sea: from Huairou farmhouses to seaside Western restaurants. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim traveler guide to Beijing follows an Africa Day food experience at Beihang University, with campus culture and local food details preserved.

This article summarizes the key points of tasting food from Africa's smallest country at Beihang University. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it suitable for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps with searching for content on Ramadan, history, and social observations.

Since May, major universities in Beijing have held international culture festivals. International students showcased their home cultures, which was very interesting. Unfortunately, most school festivals were on weekdays, and some were not open to the public. On May 24, I finally made it to the Beihang University international culture festival.

Although it was a culture festival rather than a food festival, I could still taste specialty drinks and snacks from several countries. We first drank Turkish black tea and Moroccan mint tea, then ate the Pakistani specialty noodle milk dish Pheni, which is also a classic Ramadan snack for Pakistanis.











The highlight was eating spicy peanuts, Wonjo hibiscus tea, and the milk dessert Chakery from the Gambia. This was my first time tasting snacks from this country. The Gambia is located on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. It is the smallest country in all of Africa and one of the least developed countries in the world. As early as a thousand years ago, Arab merchants crossed the Sahara Desert to trade in the Gambia and brought Islam to the country in the 9th century. Today, 96% of Gambians belong to the Maliki school of Sunni Islam.



Wonjo is an iced drink made by soaking hibiscus flowers and adding sugar and mint. It is a classic summer chilled beverage for Gambians. The Gambia is one of the original homes of the hibiscus flower, and drinking hibiscus tea here has a very long history. Chakery is a milk dessert made with millet. It is a classic West African after-dinner treat. People of different faiths share Chakery with their neighbors after festivals, showing friendships that cross religious lines.







A young man from Bangladesh sang with deep emotion, a friend (dosti) from Senegal was full of energy, and brothers from Ghana played the drums. My son, Suleiman, also grew to love the African drums.



















After leaving the Beihang International Culture Festival, we went to the fourth floor of the Seventh Canteen for dinner. They were hosting a Food Voyage Culture Festival and invited Zhang Shuanqiang, the executive chef of the Ningxia Building in Beijing, to guide the cooking. We ate stir-fried beef, garlic fish fillets, and big plate chicken (dapanji). Overall, it was very affordable. The stir-fried beef went great with rice, and the garlic fish fillets were very appetizing. I really envy the students and teachers at Beihang.

















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Summary: This Beijing halal food guide covers Moroccan iftar snacks, Tunisian Mawlid sweets, halal food in China, and Muslim campus dining at Beiyou.

This article summarizes the key points of the original text about eating Moroccan iftar snacks and Tunisian Mawlid sweets at BUPT. It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps people search for content on Ramadan, history, and Chinese halal food.

Since May, major universities in Beijing have been holding international culture festivals. Last week, I attended the one at Beihang University (tasting food from the smallest African country at Beihang), and this week I went to the one at BUPT. A friend (dosti) asked how to find this information. I just browse online platforms often and follow the news when I see it.

The BUPT international culture festival was held in the gymnasium, and the temperature was very pleasant. Although it was not very large, many stalls had special foods that are usually hard to find in Beijing.



First, I ate Moroccan chicken pie (bastilla) and small pancakes (baghrir). Beijing has not had Moroccan food for many years since the owner of the Camel Caravan restaurant on Guanghua Road left in 2020. I previously ate at a place in Guangzhou, and this time I finally had it again in Beijing.







There are many theories about the origin of bastilla. It is generally believed to have originated in the Ottoman Empire. After the French invaded Algeria in 1830, Algerian immigrants brought it to northern Morocco. To this day, many people in northern Morocco still consider this dish to be Turkish. In Morocco, bastilla usually comes with three types of fillings: pigeon, chicken, and seafood. The chicken filling is salty, fragrant, crispy, and layered. Before cooking, the chicken is stewed until soft with various spices including chopped onions, parsley, and saffron. Then it is deboned and shredded, and eggs are added to the thick chicken broth to make a sauce.



Baghrir is made with semolina and is full of tiny holes. Algerians and Moroccans like to soak them in honey and butter. It is a classic iftar snack.



Then I ate Tunisian steamed semolina (couscous), Fatma's fingers spring rolls (swabaa fatma), and Mediterranean pine pudding (assidat zgougou). The Tunisian stall had the widest variety of food this time.





Steamed semolina (couscous) is the national dish of Tunisia, and I ate it almost every day when I visited Tunisia before.



Fatma's fingers (swabaa fatma) are a classic Tunisian snack for breaking the fast. They are fried spring rolls made with thin pastry (malsouka) and filled with ground beef, shrimp, or minced tuna, with options to add mashed potatoes, eggs, and cheese.



Mediterranean pine pudding (assidat zgougou) is a classic Tunisian dessert that Tunisians eat every year for the Prophet's birthday (Mawlid). Mediterranean pine pudding (assidat zgougou) is made from Mediterranean pine powder, flour, milk, and sugar, topped with pine nuts and crushed pistachios. Mediterranean pine pudding (assidat zgougou) originated during the great Tunisian famine between 1864 and 1867. At that time, residents in northwestern Tunisia discovered that local Mediterranean pine nuts could be ground into powder and mixed with wheat flour to satisfy hunger, which later developed into a classic dessert for the Prophet's birthday.



Bambalouni is a type of Tunisian doughnut that is very common in street food shops and tourist areas in Tunisia. Tunisians like to sprinkle sugar and honey on their bambalouni.



At the Pakistan booth, I drank the classic South Asian fast-breaking beverage, mint rose syrup (Rooh Afza). Rooh Afza was invented in 1906 in British India by Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed based on traditional Arab-Persian Unani medicine. He picked a variety of herbs and fruit syrups to make a concentrated drink for heatstroke, which really helps with dehydration during fasting. After the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, his descendants opened companies in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, making Rooh Afza popular all over South Asia.









Pakistani dancing





I had a strawberry syrup soda at the Indonesian stall.





Suleiman tried the Cambodian gongs and drums and was very happy.



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Reposted from the web

Summary: This halal food guide to Hunan highlights halal food in China, Hui Muslim food in Longhui, Shaoyang, and local snacks from the original travel account.

This article summarizes the key points of why there is so much Hui Muslim food in Longhui, Shaoyang, Hunan. It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing, and it helps people search for halal food in China.

Traveling from downtown Shaoyang to Longhui County, you reach the area with the highest concentration of Hui Muslims in Hunan.

The first Hui Muslims to settle in Longhui were those with the surname Ma. The ancestor of the Ma family, Ma Cheng, was originally from Taixing, Jiangsu. During the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty, he served as the Commissioner of the Privy Council. After the start of the Hongwu era in the Ming Dynasty, Ma Cheng resigned from his official post and moved to Shaoyang, Hunan to settle down. During the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, Ma Cheng's third son, Ma Zhi, moved from Shaoyang to Majia Ferry in Longhui. He became the first Hui Muslim in Longhui, and his family has lived there for over 600 years.

Hui Muslims in Longhui mainly live in Shanjie Hui Ethnic Township, but those who run restaurants and noodle shops are mostly in the Longhui county seat, especially near the south side of Longhui Bridge. If you need a place to stay, the area near Daqiao Road is the most convenient. You can eat noodles at various shops there in the morning.

On our first morning, we ate at the Laoshanjie Hui Muslim Noodle Shop at the entrance of Limin Street. We ordered beef noodle soup with large slices of beef and wood ear mushroom with tofu noodle soup. I really love Shaoyang beef noodles. The broth is rich, spicy, and savory. The beef is well-seasoned, and the thick rice noodles are smooth and chewy. The red chili oil smells amazing. Slurping them down is so satisfying; the more you eat, the more you want. The wood ear mushroom with tofu here is also delicious. It soaks up all the broth and is very flavorful.

When eating noodles in Shaoyang, you cannot miss the mountain pepper oil (shanhujiaoyou). The mountain pepper (shancangzi) has a special scent that is like a mix of mint and lemon, making it cool and refreshing.



















The next day, I went to another Hui Muslim noodle shop on Daqiao Road called Lanlan. I had the stir-fried beef rice noodles and beef wontons. I added 2 yuan of tofu and wood ear mushrooms, plus 2 yuan of eggs to both bowls, which made the texture much better. The stir-fried beef rice noodles were rich in beef flavor, and the noodles were smooth and well-seasoned with an authentic spicy kick. The beef wontons had thin skins and plenty of filling, and the meat was firm and bouncy. You can order a small portion if you have a smaller appetite.



















At the intersection of Daqiao Road in Longhui, there is a Hui Muslim restaurant called Xiangyijiaren. It is a great place to try authentic Hunan Hui Muslim farmhouse cooking. The owner is a man named Ma from the Dong Mosque in Shanjie Hui Ethnic Township. There is no menu in the shop. They focus on seasonal dishes, cooking whatever is harvested from the fields.

As a Hunan Hui Muslim restaurant, their signature dish is definitely stir-fried yellow beef. We had been eating beef for a few days, so we wanted to try chicken. Unfortunately, at these local Hui Muslim restaurants, you have to order chicken in advance. They go to the village to slaughter the chicken fresh and cook the whole bird. So, we ended up eating river food. The owner recommended stir-fried small fish and shrimp, which were caught from the pond that same day.

The vegetables and rice in the shop are grown by the owner's family. We ordered snow peas (caidou), which were very crisp and tasty, though Hunan vegetable dishes tend to use quite a bit of oil. The owner explained that they grow two rice crops a year in Hunan. The first crop grows with a smaller temperature difference, so the taste is average. The second crop grows with a larger temperature difference, making it more fragrant. The rice in their shop is the second crop they grew themselves.

The owner was very talkative and even gave us some pickled vegetable soup for free. Shaoyang pickled vegetables (yancai) are a homemade jarred dish made from bok choy that is dried and then pickled. It is dry, fragrant, and sour. It is perfect with rice when stir-fried with chili and minced meat, and it also makes a great soup. In the end, the owner even gave us two bundles to take home and cook ourselves.



















There are four Hui Muslim stir-fry restaurants on both sides of Longhui Bridge. We previously ate at Xiangyijiaren and another Hui Muslim restaurant, which both focus on small stir-fry dishes. The other two, Minzufengweilou and Yihesheng, specialize in banquet meals. We ate at Minzufengweilou this time. It seems to be the main place where Hui Muslims in Longhui host their banquets.

The restaurant has a great view overlooking the river, though it does not get many casual diners on a regular day. We ordered toothpick beef (yaqian niurou), specialty duck (fengwei ya), and yam with wood ear mushrooms (shanyao mu'er). The toothpick beef was quite salty, the specialty duck was delicious, and the yam with wood ear mushrooms was very fresh. It was a pity we still did not get to eat chicken, as you have to order it in advance to have it freshly slaughtered and cooked.



















You can find traditional Hui Muslim noodles and pastries at the entrance of Taohuaping Mosque in the county town. This pastry shop is run by Hui Muslims from Shanjie. Their handmade sponge cakes (jidan gao) and sesame flatbreads (zhima bing) are excellent, with authentic milk and egg flavors. Since they contain no additives, you must eat the sponge cakes quickly, and the sesame flatbreads must be kept away from moisture.













Besides the county town, Shanjie Hui Ethnic Township is also a great place to taste Hui Muslim food. At noon, we ate braised beef steak (hongshao niupai) and vegetable dishes at Laowu Restaurant, located at the entrance of the Shanjie East Mosque. They do not have a menu, so you just discuss what to order directly. The vegetables are all fresh from the field, and you have to order the chicken ahead of time so it can be freshly slaughtered. The steak is cooked in advance, and it tastes just like the kind you make at home.















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Reposted from the web

Summary: This China mosque travel guide follows Haoxi Hui Muslim Township in Qingchuan, Guangyuan, the Guanghui gongbei shrine, and Sichuan Muslim heritage without changing the original travel details.

This article summarizes the key points of a self-driving trip to ancient temples in Sichuan during the Spring Festival (Part 13), focusing on Haoxi Hui Muslim Township in Qingchuan County, Guangyuan, and the Guanghuiting gongbei. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it suitable for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic articles. It also helps with searching for content related to Part 13 and Chinese halal food.

We left the ancient town of Qingxi in the morning and arrived at another Hui Muslim township in Guangyuan—Haoxi Hui Muslim Township. We first visited the Guanghuiting gongbei, which belongs to the Qadiriyya Sufi order (menhuan).

Guanghuiting is the burial place of Ma Chunyi, a disciple of the Qadiriyya leader Huazhe Abdullahi. Later generations call him the 'Fifth Great Ancestor'. The Fifth Great Ancestor began studying under Huazhe in 1674 (the 13th year of the Kangxi reign). The following year, he followed his teacher's orders to accompany his senior fellow student Qi Jingyi to Hanzhong, and later traveled to Qingyang Palace in Chengdu. Legend says that while returning to Hanzhong, the Fifth Great Ancestor followed his teacher's instructions to buy two bolts of white cloth in Zhongba, Jiangyou. After leaving Jiangyou, he fell ill with dysentery. He passed away (gui zhen) in 1684 (the 23rd year of the Kangxi reign) while passing through Haoxi Mosque. Later generations built a gongbei for him, naming it 'Guanghuiting'.

In 1833 (the 13th year of the Daoguang reign), Ma Longyun from Hezhou oversaw the construction of the brick pavilion at Guanghuiting and donated land to it. A front hall was added during the Xianfeng reign, and it has been renovated many times since. In 1935, Red Fourth Front Army leaders like Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao directed the Battle of Xuanmaguan from Guanghuiting. The imam (ahong) stationed at the mosque at the time, Su Shichang, provided them with great assistance. Before leaving, Xu Xiangqian gifted him items like white sugar. After 1966, Guanghuiting became a commune hospital. It was restored in 1980 and rebuilt into its current structure in 1984.



















Historical plaques at the Guanghuiting gongbei:

The 'Huiji Qunli' (Benefiting the Masses) plaque from the 21st year of the Guangxu reign, presented by Chen, the magistrate of Pingwu County, Long'an Prefecture, who held a third-rank title as an imperial guard and was granted the title of Tongzhi. It was also signed by She Deshou, Ma Desheng, Hu Jun, She Ren, and Hu Congfeng.



The 'Wangu Zhanyi' (Venerated for All Time) plaque from the 28th year of the Guangxu reign, presented by Shan Diankui, who held a first-rank title and served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Sichuan Provincial Military, also holding the title of Commander of the Jianchang Garrison and the title of Sheng-Sheng Baturu.

Shan Diankui was a Qing dynasty military officer from Changping, Beijing. He was passionate about Islamic affairs. He wrote plaques for the Puhading Cemetery in Yangzhou, the Great Mosque in Tianjin, the Hexi Mosque in Xichang, and the Guanghui Pavilion (guanghuiting) gongbei. He funded the woodblock printing of the Shan family edition of the Precious Scripture of Life (baoming zhenjing) in Songjiang Prefecture, which is the 'Haitie' commonly used by Hui Muslims. He also established an elementary school at the Changping Mosque in his hometown.



The 'Zhimiao Qingzhen' plaque from the fifth year of the Republic of China mentions He Bingkuan, battalion commander of the first battalion of the front five units of the Western Route of the Han Army, who received a second-class medal and was credited with seven major merits. It also lists Feng Zhaosheng, Ma Junming, Ma Wanfa, and Li Ze, who were patrol officers of the right guard of the fifth battalion of the front five units of the Western Route of the Han Army and were credited with three major merits.



Inside the gongbei is the 1924 'Stele Record of the Reconstruction of Wulong Mountain and Xulong Mountain' written by La Yonggui. The text records that in 1833 (the 13th year of the Daoguang reign), Ma Nengyun from Hezhou brought silver to Haoxi to build a brick pavilion. He did not finish the work, so he went to Hezhou and Songpan to raise 270 taels of silver to complete it, and purchased a plot of land behind the pavilion and a section of mountain land. During the Xianfeng reign, Ma Daoxiang and local Muslims from Songpan and the surrounding area built a front hall (baoting) in front of the pavilion, which was rebuilt during the Tongzhi reign. In the early Guangxu reign, elders from Songpan invited Ma Dao'an, the abbot of Xulong Mountain (Haoxi gongbei), to renovate the pavilion and guest hall, and to repair one room at Wulong Mountain (Guanghui Pavilion). During the Guangxu reign, successive earthquakes tilted the Haoxi gongbei. When Mi Yongling was the abbot of Guanghui Pavilion, he went to Songpan and the local area to raise funds to rebuild the pavilions, front halls, guest halls, mountain gates, and courtyard walls of both mountains.



The two cypress trees inside the gongbei are 450 and 350 years old, respectively, and are listed as ancient and famous trees in Qingchuan County.











The prayer hall of the Guanghui Pavilion gongbei. The prayer hall (daotang) of a Qadiriyya grand gongbei usually contains both a gongbei and a prayer hall, so it is also called a gongbei mosque.



















Haoxi Hui Ethnic Township is located at the border of Sichuan and Gansu. It is an important stop for people traveling from Qingchuan County to Wudu and Wenxian in Gansu to sell Sichuan tea. Most Hui Muslims in Haoxi moved here from the northwest. The Ma family is said to have come from Jingyang, Shaanxi, and the Zhe family is said to have come from Wudu and Wen County in Gansu. The Haoxi Mosque is said to have been built in the early Qing Dynasty. It was renovated many times and rebuilt into its current structure in 2017.

Haoxi Mosque is one of the most steeply situated mosques I have ever seen. The main prayer hall towers over the hillside, while the washroom and offices are at the bottom, connected by a set of steep stairs. However, a gentle asphalt road has been built now, which must be much more convenient than it was for those before us.

It is a pity that the main hall was locked when I visited, so I could not go inside.



















Looking at the street scene in Qingguang Village, Haoxi, there are Hui Muslim restaurants, snack shops, and beef shops. The local yellow beef (tuhuang niurou) here is very famous. Village life is leisurely and quiet, and every day moves very slowly.



















Next to Haoxi Hui Ethnic Township is the Giant Panda National Park. A sign by the road warns, 'Black bears are active in the forest area, please pay attention to your safety.' You can tell the ecology here is excellent and suitable for animals to live.

















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Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to Sichuan is also a China mosque travel guide for readers following old mosque routes, Hui Muslim heritage, and Fenghuangshan Mosque in Chengdu.

This article summarizes the key points of a self-driving trip to ancient mosques in Sichuan during the Spring Festival (Part 14: Chengdu Fenghuangshan Mosque). It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in the lives of Hui Muslims, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps people search for content related to Part 14 and the Chengdu Fenghuangshan Mosque.

The Chengdu Hui Muslim cemetery was originally located near the Old West Gate, in the areas of Diba, Tongchegeng, and Wanfu Mosque. In 1952, it was forced to move to Fenghuang Mountain to make room for railway department offices and staff dormitories. The Fenghuangshan Hui Muslim cemetery officially opened in 1952. The Fenghuangshan Mosque was built to serve the people visiting the graves, and it has been there for over 70 years.







The Fenghuangshan Mosque currently preserves a pair of Qing Dynasty drum-shaped stone bases (baogushi) from the Chengdu Huangcheng Mosque, as well as a pair of broken Qing Dynasty pillar couplets from the Chengdu Qisi Mosque.

The Huangcheng Mosque was located in the middle of Yongjing Street at Huangchengba in Chengdu. It was first built in 1666 (the fifth year of the Kangxi reign) with funds raised by a man named Qibaba from Yunnan. It was rebuilt in 1858 (the eighth year of the Xianfeng reign). In 1917, it was mostly destroyed during fighting between Sichuan and Yunnan warlords, but it was rebuilt that same year. In 1998, the Huangcheng Mosque was moved and rebuilt on the southwest side of Tianfu Square to make room for the square's construction.





The Chengdu Qisi Mosque was located on Donghua South Street at Huangchengba in Chengdu. It was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign. It was the seventh mosque built for Hui Muslims in Chengdu, which is how it got its name. The Qisi Mosque was rebuilt in 1866 (the fifth year of the Tongzhi reign). In 1930, it was set back due to street renovations and later rebuilt. After 1950, it became a women's mosque, but it no longer exists today. The Qisi Mosque originally had four stone pillars with couplets. They were all stored at Fenghuang Mountain. Later, some were set up in a mosque on South Street in Dujiangyan (Guanxian). The Fenghuangshan Mosque now holds two of these broken pillars.

The text on the broken pillars at the Fenghuangshan Mosque reads: 'Who is the master, who is the guide, one must think of oneself... respectfully erected by Gui Fengming, a military officer of the Tiabiao Central Battalion, and his son Xin.' When connected with the other parts in Dujiangyan, the complete text is:

The Way cannot be left for even a moment. Whether manifesting or reflecting, it all exists in a place without sound or smell.

People each have an inherent nature. Who is the master, who is the guide? One must think of the origin of all things and their principles.

Respectfully erected in the second month of the Bingyin year, the fifth year of the Tongzhi reign, by Gui Fengming, a military officer of the Tiabiao Central Battalion, and his son Xin.

Summary:

The great path of truth must never be left behind. Whether you are honoring Allah or reflecting on your own character, this inner sincerity exists in a quiet, hidden, and subtle state.

Everyone is born with a kind heart. Who controls all things in the world, and what keeps the order? We should trace this back to the source where everything has its own essence and laws.

Gui Fengming was a Hui Muslim general during the Qing Dynasty. He was from Xiushan County, Sichuan. He fought in the Opium War and served as a military officer in Mianzhou, Chengdu, and other areas. He paid to publish the book Explanation of the Five Pillars (Wugong Shiyi) by Liu Zhi.









At the Fenghuang Mountain Hui Muslim Cemetery, you can see tombstones from the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era. Unfortunately, because the stone is quite brittle, many people have placed new tombstones in front of the old ones, so the original stone carvings can no longer be seen.





















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Reposted from the web

Summary: Best Halal Food in Beijing: Muslim-Friendly Restaurants and Hui Muslim Street Food Map (Issue 57) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Here is the information for the restaurants I visited this time:. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Muslim Travel, Middle Eastern Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Here is the information for the restaurants I visited this time:

1. Wanhe Beef

2. Manpengxuan

3. Love Yourself Halal Skewer Hot Pot

4. Xiting Xiuse, Xiangyun Town Branch

5. Flame & Feast Pakistani Steak

6. Yilan Liyuan Handmade Burgers

7. Laikebi Happy Pizza

8. Xiangyu Homestay Halal Restaurant

1. Wanhe Halal Beef



This beef hot pot restaurant is on Longfusi Food Street. They use beef from Zhangye, Gansu. The shop is 2,000 square meters, has many private rooms, and offers good service. They mainly sell beef.



The beef set meal I bought online was only 200 yuan. Two people couldn't even finish it. The meat quality is really good.



This is the sea cucumber (liaoshen) included in the set, along with plenty of vegetables and noodles as the staple food.





You can choose a single-person small pot to try different soup bases. I like this pickled cabbage (suancai) soup base. You can mix your own dipping sauce. I like to make mine with a spicy and sour Yunnan flavor.



Address: 3rd Floor, Building A, Nanfang, No. 1 Longfusi Qianjie, Dongcheng District.

2. Manpengxuan



This is a new high-end halal restaurant under the Nanmen Shuanrou brand, located on the 4th floor of the North Area of the China World Mall.



The authentic Nanmen Shuanrou brand is the one at the Temple of Heaven; all other Nanmen restaurants are just copycats trying to ride on their popularity. There is also a Nanmen Xiaoguan in the China World Mall, which is another brand under Nanmen that serves Beijing-style stir-fry at affordable prices.



The restaurant has a beautiful layout and a spacious interior, making Manpengxuan a great choice for business dinners.



Remember to park in the North Area and take the North 2 elevator to the 4th floor, or you might get lost.



They serve complimentary pickled vegetables before the meal, and they all taste quite good.



When the server talked about the chef's knife skills, they mentioned a dish called celery with phoenix tail in sauce (laozhi fengwei xiqin). I was curious, so I ordered it. The celery arrived without the sauce poured over it; it looked beautiful and tasted very crisp and tender.



They serve fusion cuisine, mainly Beijing and Cantonese dishes. I specifically chose a Cantonese dish called lotus leaf and dried tangerine peel Zhanjiang chicken (hexiang chenpi zhanjiang ji), which comes with the chicken already deboned.



This dish is called dried scallop and shrimp with fresh bean curd skin and apple loofah (yaozhu xiagan xianfuzhu zhu pingguo sigua). The name lists all the ingredients. It is very light, the server helped us portion it out, and you can even get refills on the soup.



I ordered the crispy skin roast chicken. I originally wanted the crispy squab, but a large group had already finished all of them that day. The skin on this roast chicken was just as crispy.



For the threadfin salted fish and eggplant claypot (mayou xianyu qiezi bao), the salted fish was indeed a bit salty.



The appetizing kale and bamboo shoots (kaiwei jielan sun) is a savory dish. The kale was cut into a shape that made it hard to pick up with chopsticks, but the server was very thoughtful and said they would improve the presentation.



The manager gave us some complimentary Beijing-style desserts, including pea flour cake (wandou gao) and aiwowo (steamed rice flour cakes with sweet filling). They were small and bite-sized.

3. Love Yourself Halal Skewer Hot Pot



A new skewer hot pot restaurant serving Guizhou sour soup has opened near the residential area of Daxing Airport.



The warm reminder at the entrance shows the owner is very thoughtful. While waiting for a table, I chatted with the owner and learned he is from Chengdu.



Skewers are 0.8 yuan each. After eating, they count the sticks to settle the bill. You can buy a group-buying set, and the average cost per person is under 70 yuan.



You still have to wait in line on weekend nights. The place is small, with fewer than ten tables inside.



Although the owner recommended the spicy clear oil hot pot, I specifically chose the Guizhou sour soup hot pot.



They have a huge variety of skewers, and they are already seasoned, so they taste great even without dipping sauce.



Address: 2nd Floor, Building 1, Kangtai Street, Yufa Town, Daxing District.

4. Xiting Xiuse (Xiangyun Town Branch).



The Xiting Xiuse branch in Shunyi's Xiangyun Town is their largest and most luxurious store in Beijing.



The restaurant has two floors, and there is an open-air garden at the entrance on the first floor. It is very pleasant to sit in the courtyard during the summer.



The second floor has several private rooms, each with a different style, and there is even a dedicated room for smoking cigars.



The large private rooms can hold thirty to forty people, making them perfect for parties and birthday banquets.



It is also a great experience to stop by for coffee and afternoon tea. This is one of the more authentic Turkish restaurants, and the colors of their dishes are a feast for the eyes.



Address: Shop 107, Building 11, North District, COFCO Xiangyun Town, Antai Street, Shunyi District.

5. Flame & Feast Pakistani Steak



A newly opened Pakistani steakhouse in Shunyi. Their signature dish is grilled steak, and they also sell burgers and fried chicken.



The small shop has two floors. The newly renovated environment is very clean, and the service is quite warm.



I found a portrait of a pharaoh hanging in the bathroom, which carries a bit of metaphor for our Pakistani friends.



This is French-style fried chicken with a sweet and salty flavor, but I still prefer salty fried chicken.



The burger is also quite ordinary; this place's burger is not as good as the ones on Niujie.



However, their steak tastes good. Because the price is cheap, it feels quite a bargain to get this quality of steak. The waiter asked how I wanted it cooked, and I like it medium-well. I suggest you only eat the steak when you come here.

Address: Yixin Jiayuan, Shengli Subdistrict, Shunyi District.

6. Yilan Liyuan Handmade Burgers



The Yilan Liyuan Beef and Mutton Shop on Niujie added a new window to sell handmade burgers. The owner's son returned from studying in the United States and wanted to bring authentic American burgers to Beijing using their own beef.





This is the handsome guy, cooking in person with the meat patties fried on the spot. They currently only have two types of burgers, divided into single and double layers. The young man's skills are good. The shape and style of this burger are basically the same as what I ate in the United States, even the wrapping paper is the same.



7. Laikebi Happy Pizza



Laikebi is an old shop that has reopened. I ate at their shop near the China University of Political Science and Law before 2018. At that time, the owner was still single and from Yunnan. This year, the owner reopened the shop and married a Uyghur wife. We happened to run into them when we arrived at the shop.



It is a pity that this shop will close at the end of the month. International students used to visit often, but now there are far fewer students in the area, making it hard to keep the business going.



Their dishes offer great value for money. I was deeply impressed when I visited in 2018. We had four people this time and ordered a four-person set meal for only 200 yuan. We actually couldn't finish it because it was just too affordable.



Their pizza and grilled meat rice are both delicious. They are excellent among halal Western-style fast food in Beijing.



I don't know if there will be another chance to eat at such an affordable Western restaurant in the future. I hope the owner can get back on his feet.









Maybe when you see this message, the shop will already be closed, so let's just leave this as a memory.

8. Xiangyu Homestay Halal Restaurant



A new halal farmhouse inn has opened in Huairou. There are now at least three halal homestays in the area, and this one is not far from the Mutianyu Great Wall.



The setting here is quite nice, with a small bridge and flowing water at the entrance.



We booked our meal in advance. The owner is a Hui Muslim from Tongzhou and is a great cook.





Since we had children with us, I specifically asked the owner to use less salt and keep the flavors light. Otherwise, following the traditional taste of Tongzhou Hui Muslims, the dishes would definitely be salty.



The food here is generally home-style. I suggest sticking to traditional Beijing dishes to be safe and avoid disappointment. Don't order the Sichuan dishes; after all, a chef is always more comfortable cooking the food from their own hometown.











When you come to Huairou, you must eat the grilled rainbow trout (hongzunyu). Rainbow trout is a cold-water fish with tender meat and few bones.





The spicy chicken (lazi ji) in the photo above and the boiled beef (shuizhu niurou) in the photo below are not recommended as they are not the chef's specialty. Everything else is fine. There were 10 of us, and it cost 50 per person.







Address: Lianhuachi Village, Yanqi Town, Huairou District.

End of article.

— Author: Yahya —

Author of the bestseller 'Guide to Avoiding Insurance Pitfalls'.

Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) member.

IMA International Insurance Expert.

Scan the QR code below to add the author on WeChat.



Previous posts:

To find other halal food in Beijing, please check the links to previous posts. Closed restaurants are noted. The content is as follows:

[Beijing Halal Dining Guide (including the most complete list of foreign restaurants)] (Part 1) (Note: Baodu Wai is closed, Yangji Beef Pie is closed, Halal Spicy Hot Pot is closed, Yuanxie Shuanrou Restaurant is closed, Dafengshou Fish Restaurant is closed, Hongliushu Roasted Lamb Scorpion is closed, Weidao Xinjiang Restaurant is closed, Shashi Castle Restaurant is closed, Badang Restaurant is closed, Bakeli Caspian Western Restaurant is closed, Sukhothai Thai-Malaysian Restaurant is closed, Cheese Molecule Pizza is closed);

[Beijing Halal Dining Guide (including the most complete list of foreign restaurants)] (Part 2) (Note: 1001 Nights Blue Harbor branch is closed, Haitian Yise Chinese Restaurant is closed, Changying Seafood BBQ is closed);

[Beijing Halal Dining Guide (including the most complete list of foreign restaurants)] (Part 3) (Note: Changji Zhizi BBQ is closed, Yiding Shandouji Private Kitchen is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 4) (Note: Features soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) and Yunnan cuisine. Xuezhan Big Plate Chicken is closed, Islam Lan Hot Pot is closed, Xingyuege Muslim Restaurant is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 5) (Note: Features Yunnan cuisine and Shanxian lamb soup (yangtang))

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 6) (Note: Features Chongqing hot pot. Moroccan Restaurant is closed, Yijinglan Restaurant is closed, Weidao Seafood Restaurant is closed, Lao Ma Lamb Scorpion Potstickers has been renamed Xiaohailuo Seafood BBQ);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 7) (Note: Features Turkish kebab. Chinese tea house is closed, Yijinyuan is closed, Laoduiyuan is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 8) (Features soup dumplings (guantangbao). Fangchengshun Shuanrou is closed, Father's New Style Western Region Cuisine is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 9) (Note: Features ox head feast. Qinghai Hot Pot is closed, Halimei Kitchen is closed, Meisi Coffee is closed, Yilaobaiwei Dipping Sauce Hot Pot has been renamed Huaxiding New Style Halal Hot Pot);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 10) (Note: Features Huainan beef soup, Western fast food, pita bread soaked in soup (paomo), octopus balls (takoyaki), and Yunnan cuisine);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 11) (Note: Features Sichuan-style hot pot, spicy dry pot (mala xiangguo), seafood buffet, and Henan pan-fried buns (shuijianbao));

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 12) (Note: Features Henan braised noodles (huimian) and spicy soup (hulatang). Erjie Diguo Stew is closed, HI HELLO Western-style iron plate rice is closed);

Beijing Halal Food Map (Part 13) (Note: Features Huaiyang cuisine and Jingdong meat pie);

Beijing Halal Food Map (Part 14) (Note: Features beef tendon hot pot and Palestinian restaurant. Japanese restaurant Hecai Shidang is closed);

Beijing Halal Food Map (15) (Note: Features Hohhot halal cuisine and Indian-Pakistani buffet)

Beijing Halal Food Map (16) (Note: Features Xiaolou Restaurant)

Beijing Halal Food Map (17) (Note: Manshuo Eel Rice is closed; Lao Yinchuan is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (18) (Note: Features Tanli broth lamb hot pot; Xu Yiwan Braised Noodles is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (19) (Note: Rumi's Secret is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (20) (Note: Ji'anzhai Crab Roe Noodles is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (21) (Note: Features Samarkand (Hamai'erhan))

Beijing Halal Food Map (22) (Note: Features Xunji and Lanjiushiqi)

Beijing Halal Food Map (23) (Note: Features Turkish Qubbe Restaurant)

Beijing Halal Food Map (24) (Note: Features Niububi; Longxianghui is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (25) (Note: Anhui board noodles and crayfish are closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (26) (Note: Chongqing chicken pot is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (27) (Note: Features Syrian Cafe)

Beijing Halal Food Map (28) (Note: Features Qiqihar barbecue)

Beijing Halal Food Map (29) (Note: Features Huainan beef soup and Henan spicy soup; Chongqing hot pot restaurant is)

Beijing Halal Food Map (30) (Note: Featuring Ma Family steamed dumplings (shaomai), Taiba Shawarma, and Jinyunxuan Lanzhou beef noodles)

Beijing Halal Food Map (31) (Note: Featuring Lianghuo Lanzhou twisted fried dough barbecue (fanhua shaokao) and Henan Xiefeng steamed bun shop)

Beijing Halal Food Map (32) (Note: Featuring Mulu Malaysian Restaurant and Hongxiaolu Chongqing hot pot)

Beijing Halal Food Map (33) (Note: Featuring Chicken Tender Master (Jiliu Daren) and Jingyi Farmhouse)

Beijing Halal Food Map (34) (Note: Featuring Yuejing Japanese buffet and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications Ethnic Restaurant snail rice noodles (luosifen))

Beijing Halal Food Map (35)

(Note: Featuring Xunji Qingnian Road Courtyard)

Beijing Halal Food Map (36) (Note: Featuring Samosa Pakistani buffet)

Beijing Halal Food Map (37) (Note: Featuring Shixiang Japanese barbecue buffet)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 38) (Note: Featuring Achuiji Stinky Fried Skewers)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 39)

Beijing Halal Food Map (40)

Summary of specialty halal restaurants in Beijing by district

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 41)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 42)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 43)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 44)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 45)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 46)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 47)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 48)

2024 Must-Eat Beijing Style Halal Restaurants List

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 49)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 50)

Beijing Halal Food Map (51)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 52)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 53)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 54)

Beijing Halal Food Map (55)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 56) Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: China Mosque Travel Guide: Hui Muslim Plaques, Couplets and Islamic Calligraphy (101-150) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Tian Rui was a Hui Muslim from Taiyuan, Shanxi. He was the son of Tian Yongtong, a military jinshi scholar from the 28th year of the Qianlong reign. The account keeps its focus on Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

101. 'Think No Evil' (siwuxie) plaque at Hexia Mosque in Huai'an.

An auspicious day in the first month of autumn, the 10th year of the Daoguang reign.

Inscribed by Tian Rui, Prefect of Huai'an.

Tian Rui was a Hui Muslim from Taiyuan, Shanxi. He was the son of Tian Yongtong, a military jinshi scholar from the 28th year of the Qianlong reign. He served as Prefect of Huai'an and Yangzhou and wrote a poetry collection called 'Yigai Pavilion Poetry Drafts' (Yigaiting Shichao).



102. Plaque in Arabic, Persian, and Xiao'erjing script at Yancheng Mosque.

Completed on an auspicious day in the eighth lunar month, the 17th year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully erected by Abdullah Yang Lüji.



103. 'Mosque' (Qingzhensi) plaque at Gaoyou Mosque.

Respectfully inscribed by Jingxiu, Magistrate of the Zhili Department of Gaoyou.

Rebuilt in the middle of winter, the 2nd year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty.



104. 'Utmost Sincerity Never Ceases' (zhichengwuxi) plaque at Xianhe Mosque in Yangzhou.

An auspicious day in the middle of summer, the Wuyin year, the 4th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Respectfully erected by Zhu Huaisen, a nominated provincial commander-in-chief and regional commander of the Huai-Yang garrison, who held the title of Shangyong Baturu.



105. 'The Holy Religion is Entirely True' (shengjiaoquanzhen) plaque at Xianhe Mosque in Yangzhou.

An auspicious day in the spring month, the Dingchou year, the 3rd year of the Guangxu reign.

Inscribed by Zhu Huaijun, a guerrilla commander of the Qianshan Battalion in Anhui, who held the rank of provincial commander-in-chief and was in charge of the New Army of the Liangjiang Governor-General.



106. Xianhe Mosque in Yangzhou: 'Obey the decree of heaven and follow the holy word'

Early summer, the year of Xinhai in the Qianlong reign

Respectfully erected by the Sanwei Hall of the Muslim community



107. Xianhe Mosque in Yangzhou: 'Heaven is close at hand'

The tenth month of the Dingyou year (the 42nd year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty)

Calligraphy by Yang Enpei



108. Jingjue Mosque in Nanjing: 'Only pure, only one'

An auspicious day in the first month of summer, the Gengyin year, the 16th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty

Commander of the Jiujiang Garrison in Jiangxi



109. Jingjue Mosque in Nanjing: 'Rectify the heart and be sincere'

June, the 11th year of the Republic of China

Respectfully erected by the president and members of the Nanjing Islamic Association



110. Nanmen Mosque in Liuhe, Nanjing

Cherish purity and walk in cleanliness as if in the afterlife

Return to the truth and simplicity just like this

An auspicious day in the tenth lunar month, the 10th year of the Republic of China

Wang Jianli of Gengdu Hall



111. Mosque (qingzhensi) at Zhuzhen Mosque in Nanjing

Erected in the seventh lunar month of the Xinchou year of the Guangxu reign

Built by Zhu Dun



112. "Pivot of My Way" at the tomb of Liu Zhi in Nanjing

Mid-summer of the Xinchou year (27th year of the Guangxu reign)

Written by Jin Pengshou of Jiangning



113. "A Model for Posterity" at the tomb of Liu Zhi in Nanjing

Reprinted by the public in the Dingwei year (33rd year of the Guangxu reign)

Respectfully written by Liu Dekun of Jingjue Mosque



114. Arabic plaque at the ancient mosque in Songjiang, Shanghai

Restored by Zhang Yunsheng in the Xinwei year

Rebuilt Qingshen Mosque

An auspicious day in the fifth lunar month of the Yiwei year of the Jiajing reign of the Great Ming Dynasty

The stele was erected in the Yiwei year of the Ming Jiajing reign (1535). The restoration by Zhang Yunsheng took place in a Xinwei year. It is confirmed that there is no 'Xinwei' year in the Jiajing era. Therefore, the renovation of the mosque likely took place in the sixth year of the Zhengde era (1511).

The inscription refers to the mosque as 'Qingshen Mosque,' which is a unique occurrence.



115. Ancient Mosque in Songjiang, Shanghai

Purity brings clarity, focus on pure cultivation to show a pure heart, and directly explore the origin of pure majesty.

Truth is without falsehood, nurture a true nature and cultivate true learning, only by returning to the root can one find true sincerity.

An auspicious day in the eighth lunar month of the Jia-Chen year, the 24th year of the Daoguang era.

Renovated in the ninth lunar month of the Ding-Mao year, the sixth year of the Tongzhi era, by Li Lügan, a follower of the faith from Jinchang, and his son Yaokui.

Inscribed by Ma Fujing, a presented scholar (jinshi), imperial guard, acting commander of the left battalion of the Jiangnan military, and garrison commander of the Ninghou battalion.





116. 'Ancient Faith from the Beginning' at the Ancient Mosque in Songjiang, Shanghai

Ding-Mao year.

Calligraphy by Ma Songting.

Ma Songting (1895–1992) is known alongside Wang Jingzhai, Ha Decheng, and Da Pusheng as one of the four great modern imams of China.



117. Mosque in Lishui, Zhejiang

Sincere and respectful, the Way is rooted in the middle, encompassing all things.

Silent and scentless, the ritual originates from the two energies that permeate the three realms.

An auspicious day in the autumn of the Bingxu year, the 12th year of the Guangxu reign.

Erected by Ma Huanzhang, the imam (zhangjiao) from Western Sichuan.



118. The Yongzheng Imperial Edict at the Lishui Mosque in Zhejiang.

An auspicious day in the middle of the second month of autumn in the Bingxu year, the 12th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing.

Respectfully supervised and erected by the mosque's imam, Ma Huanzhang.



119. Donation plaque at the Lishui Mosque in Zhejiang.

Auspiciously erected in the seventh month of the Xinhai year, the third year of the Xuantong reign.



120. The 'Ten Thousand Differences, One Origin' plaque at the Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou.

The first month of the Wuyin year, the 23rd year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty.

The Land Forces Command of Fujian Province.

Respectfully erected by Ma Jianji, the Zhangzhou Garrison Commander.

Ma Jianji was a Hui Muslim from Sichuan. While serving in Fujian during the Jiaqing reign, he renovated the Qingjing Mosque and the Lingshan Sacred Tomb, and carved an inscription on the Wind-Moving Rock at Lingshan.



121. The 'Recognize the Oneness of Allah' plaque at the Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou.

Respectfully presented in the eighth month of the 11th year of the Republic of China.

Written by Tang Kesan, Superintendent of the Xiamen Customs, after ritual washing.



122. The 'Three Fears and Four Admonitions' plaque at the Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou.

An auspicious day in the latter part of the sixth month of the thirteenth year of the Republic of China.

Second-class Golden Grain Medal recipient, Intendant of the Jinan Circuit in Shandong, and former Superintendent of the Xiamen Customs, Tang Kesan respectfully wrote this.

The original plaque was destroyed between the 1960s and 1970s; this is a replica.



123. Fuzhou Mosque, 'Promoting the Holy Teachings'.

An auspicious day in the tenth month of the tenth year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully erected by Tang Kesan, Superintendent of Xiamen Customs.

After Tang Kesan became the Superintendent of Xiamen Customs in 1919, he worked hard to revive the faith in Fujian. He donated significant funds to the Fuzhou Mosque, Xiamen Mosque, and Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque. He also encouraged the descendants of local Fujian scripture readers to return to the faith and serve in the mosques.



124. Zhaoqing West Mosque, 'Always Remember the Lord's Grace'.

An auspicious day in mid-summer of the Wuxu year of the Daoguang reign.

Respectfully carved by Li Xianyang, acting Lieutenant Colonel of the Guangdong and Guangxi Governor's Front Battalion.



125. Zhaoqing West Mosque.

Why look for visible signs when in the five daily prayers, one feels as if Allah is truly present?

Do not say the traditions are distant, for within the thirty volumes of the Quran, the true teachings are found.

An auspicious day in the lucky month of the Jiaxu year of the Jiaqing reign.

Respectfully written by Vice Commander Liu Hu after washing his hands.



126. Zhaoqing East Mosque, 'The Only One'.

An auspicious day in the first month of autumn in the Yiwei year of the Qianlong reign.



127. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'The Emperor's Grace Lasts Forever'.

An auspicious day in the second month of the Wuyin year of the Kangxi reign.

Respectfully written by Gai Rixin, an imperial guard appointed by the Emperor, who was granted the status of Jinshi and promoted by one rank.



128. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'Rectify the Heart and Be Sincere'.

An auspicious day in the second month of the Wuyin year of the Kangxi reign.

Respectfully written by Tie Fanjin, a Jinshi degree holder and bachelor of the Hanlin Academy.



129. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'Great Mercy for the Whole World'.

An auspicious day in the second month of spring in the Wuyin year of the Kangxi reign.

Erected by Yang Guolin, a director of the Guangdong Department of the Ministry of Revenue, who was promoted by three ranks.



130. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'Utmost Sincerity Never Ceases'.

An auspicious day in the first month of autumn in the Xinchou year, the 60th year of the Kangxi reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Respectfully erected by Yan Guangwu, a deputy commander in charge of the Guangdong Chunjiang, Kaiping, Nafu, and Enping regions, who was awarded one merit record.



131. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'Follow the Past and Inspire the Future'.

Erected on an auspicious day in the first month of summer in the Jiaxu year, the 19th year of the Qianlong reign.

Respectfully inscribed by Li Xianxiang, an imperial guard and commander-in-chief of the Guizhou military, who served as the acting deputy commander of the Pingyuan garrison.



132. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Sharing in Allah's Blessings"

An auspicious day in the first month of winter, 26th year of the Daoguang reign.

Erected by the committee members together.



133. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Abundant Blessings from the Lord"

An auspicious day in the second month of spring, 6th year of the Tongzhi reign, year of Dingmao.

Erected by Bao Yingxiong, acting Guangzhou Brigade Commander, holding the rank of Assistant Brigade Commander and awarded the peacock feather.



134. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Grace Shines Upon All"

An auspicious day in the second month of winter, 26th year of the Guangxu reign, year of Gengzi.

Erected by Yang Shu, acting Guangdong Circuit Intendant for Gaozhou and Lianzhou, holding a second-rank button and awarded the peacock feather, and Yang Xun, a defense officer of the Plain Red Banner Han Army, holding a fourth-rank button and awarded the peacock feather.



135. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Merciful Clouds and Nourishing Rain"

An auspicious day in the middle of the first month of summer, 31st year of the Guangxu reign, year of Yisi.

Respectfully dedicated to celebrate the joy of Imam Ma.

Offered by the officials, gentry, elders, and committee members of the Lighthouse Mosque (Guangta Si).

Calligraphy by Yang Zeng.



136. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Carrying Forward the Past and Opening Up the Future"

National Day, 35th year of the Republic of China.

Erected respectfully by the first committee members and all the followers of the faith.



137. The 'Holy Path to the South' plaque at Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou.

Erected on an auspicious day in the winter of the 20th year of the Republic of China.

The venerable Sahaba Waqqas followed the Prophet's command to spread the faith in China. He left his mark in Guangzhou and built a tower that has stood for over a thousand years. All of us Muslims follow the ancient traditions and uphold the great principles of the Quran. We truly carry this path in the south and will never forget it for as long as we live.

Respectfully inscribed by Yang Mengling of Panyu, along with his sons Youfang, Guifang, Qunfang, Shifang, Yinfang, Lianfang, Qifang, and his grandsons Bingyi, Bingchang, Bingren, Bingshu, Bingquan, Bingtao, and Bingjun.



138. The 'Boundless Grace Bestowed' plaque at Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in the first month of winter in the Dingwei year of the Guangxu reign.

Respectfully erected by follower Yuan Hongmo, his younger brother Hongquan, and his son Changzhen.



139. Arabic plaque at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

The second month of autumn in the first year of the Xuantong reign.

The members of the Tongxie Hall at Huaisheng Mosque.



140. Arabic plaque at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in the first month of winter in the Gengxu year of the second year of the Xuantong reign.

Erected together by the members of the Guangta Heyi Hall.



141. 'Guard Our Pure Truth' plaque at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in June, the fourth year of the Republic of China.

Since our ancestors from the West (Wanheshi) arrived in the East over a thousand years ago, we have followed our religious rules and never dared to break them. Recently, some young people have misunderstood the idea of freedom of belief, and their marriages and diets have started to ignore our religious rules. I fear that people's hearts are worsening and our holy faith is fading away. I have carefully chosen these four characters to write on the plaque as a reminder to our community. I hope everyone carefully follows the teachings of the scriptures and respects the examples set by our ancestors. If we do this, we will not be sinners against our people, and our faith will be fortunate.

Respectfully inscribed by Cai Chunheng from Wanbei, Major General of the Army, Director of the Guangdong Water Police Department, and recipient of the Third Class Order of the Golden Grain.



142. The plaque 'Zhengjue Xizong' at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in the first month of summer, the tenth year of the Jiaqing reign (Yichou year).

Erected by Xu Wenmo, a hereditary brave official with the title of Admiral, Jiyong Baturu, and Commander of the land and water forces in the Gao, Lian, and Luo regions of Guangdong, who has received military honors twenty-two times.



143. The plaque 'Chanyang Shilai' at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in March, the second year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully erected by Ma Bonian and others.

Respectfully written by Ma Yongkuan.



144. The plaque 'Kaitian Gujiao' at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

The first ten days of the second month of spring, the Jiazi year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully erected by the humble members of the faith.



145. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou, with the inscription 'The Law Extends to the Origin of Wonders' (Fa Chui Yuan Miao).

The sixth lunar month of the Xinsi year in the Guangxu reign.

Respectfully erected by Sha Jing of Qingyu Hall.



146. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

He was the first to spread the scriptures, a sign of returning to the truth, encompassing the profound meanings of the 140 ancient volumes.

He personally received the teachings to transform and educate, with great achievements and noble virtues, following in the footsteps of the 124,000 past saints.

Respectfully inscribed by Zhang Cheng, the Imperial-appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Youjiang Town in Guangxi, after ritual purification.

An auspicious day in the second month of spring in the Jisi year of the Jiaqing reign.





148. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou, with the inscription 'Looking Up to High Virtue' (Gao Feng Yang Zhi).

Respectfully erected on the Winter Solstice of the first year of the Yongzheng reign.



148. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

He spread the holy teachings in the southern lands, passed down through generations, strictly following the 30 volumes of sacred instructions.

He established a virtuous reputation in eastern Guangdong, standing tall and independent, admired by all for thousands of years as a model.

Built in the summer of the Jiawu year of the Guangxu reign.

Respectfully inscribed by Cai Jinzhang, the Imperial-granted Commander-in-Chief of the Guangdong Land Forces, titled Kengsenge Batulu.

149. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou, with the inscription 'Looking Afar to the Long Journey' (Chang Zhan Yuan Xing).

An auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Yiwei year of the Guangxu reign.

Respectfully erected by Xu Yingzhong, head of the Huaisheng Mosque, together with Ma Shikui of the Diegan Hall and others.



150. Ancient Tombs of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

Receiving the holy teachings in the West, the spiritual lineage has been passed down for fifty generations.

Upholding the heavenly scriptures in the East, the tradition remains for thousands of years.

An auspicious day in the second month of spring, in the Bingyin year, the eleventh year of the Jiaqing reign.

Respectfully written and composed by Hu Changqing from Guilin, a presented scholar (jinshi) by imperial decree, former bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, and official of the first rank.



Appreciating plaques and couplets from the faith (1-50 pieces).

Appreciating mosque plaques and couplets (51-100 pieces) Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: China Mosque Travel Guide: Hui Muslim Plaques, Couplets and Islamic Calligraphy (51-100) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Tian Yongtong was a Hui Muslim general from Taiyuan, Shanxi. He became a military Jinshi scholar in the 28th year of the Qianlong reign and rose to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of Jiangnan. The account keeps its focus on Mosque Travel, Islamic Heritage, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

51. The plaque 'Principles Rooted in Confucianism' (Li Guan Ru Zong) at Taiyuan Mosque.

Erected on a lucky day in the tenth month of the Yichou year, the tenth year of the Jiaqing reign.

Respectfully written by Tian Yongtong, a palace guard who earned the title of Jinshi scholar and served as the Brigade General of Nanyang, Henan.

Renovated by his great-great-grandson Zhenjing in the 31st year of the Republic of China.

Tian Yongtong was a Hui Muslim general from Taiyuan, Shanxi. He became a military Jinshi scholar in the 28th year of the Qianlong reign and rose to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of Jiangnan.



52. The plaque 'Extremely Brilliant' (Ji Gao Ming) at Taiyuan Mosque.

Respectfully presented by Zhang Jinglie from Yunnan, a palace guard and assistant regional commander in charge of the eastern route of Shanxi and the southern defense of Taiyuan city.

A lucky day in the ninth month of the Xinmao year, the 36th year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.



53. The plaque 'The Way is Known in Greatness' (Dao Jian Zhi Hong) at Taiyuan Mosque.

Reprinted by Chongde Lu in the eighth month of the seventh year of the Tongzhi reign.

Shao Yong.

Shao Yong was a philosopher and expert on the I Ching during the Northern Song Dynasty.



54. The plaque 'Only Virtue is Supported' (Wei De Shi Fu) at Taiyuan Mosque.

Respectfully erected by Duo Ding, a Juren scholar from the Dingmao year of the Qianlong reign and an instructor in Wanquan County.

Renovated by his clansman Chi in the eleventh month of the Dingwei year of the Daoguang reign.



55. The plaque 'The Teaching Exalts the True One' (Jiao Long Zhen Yi) at Taiyuan Mosque.

Respectfully inscribed by Ha Panfeng, Imperial Guard, Commander-in-Chief of Datong, Shanxi, appointed by imperial decree, with three recorded merits.

An auspicious day in the sixth lunar month of the 46th year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing Dynasty (1781).

Ha Panfeng was from Suning County, Hebei, and became a military jinshi scholar in the 16th year of the Qianlong reign.



56. Taiyuan Mosque: "Heaven's Mirror is Here"

Erected by Tian Qiao, a successful candidate in the imperial examinations during the Wanshou Guisi year.

An auspicious day in the early tenth lunar month of the Jihai year of the Kangxi reign.



57. Taiyuan Mosque: "The Most Holy, Past and Present"

An auspicious day in the fifth lunar month of the Renchen year of the Daoguang reign.

Erected by Tian Shifa, a candidate for the position of Zhili Prefecture assistant magistrate.



58. Taiyuan Mosque: "Return to the Truth"

Erected by Tian Zongzhou, a jinshi scholar, serving as a captain in the Right Battalion of the Henan-Hebei Garrison and acting commander of the Left Battalion.

An auspicious day in the third month of autumn in the Xinyou year, the 6th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Great Qing Dynasty (1801).

59. Taiyuan Mosque: "Tranquility"

Li Guifang, Imperial Guard and Commander-in-Chief of Gaozhou, Guangdong, with a rank increase of three levels.

His son, a successful candidate in the Xinwei year imperial examinations and a lieutenant at Shahe Camp.

His grandson, Panlin, a military graduate of the Renzi year and a lieutenant at Lengquan Pass, waiting for promotion to major.

Imperial-bestowed Zhaowu General, hereditary Cloud Cavalry Lieutenant, and additional Grace Cavalry Lieutenant Pan Long.

Wuwu-year military graduate, commander of Zhuhu Fort, and expectant garrison commander Pan Feng.

A lucky day in the ninth lunar month of the Bingwu year of the Daoguang reign.

Respectfully erected by his great-grandson, a local government student (yixiangsheng) named He Ming.



60. Taiyuan Mosque: 'All things return to the truth'.

Erected in the eighth lunar month of the second year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Respectfully erected by the imperial-titled Zhenwu General Tian Shixing, along with his son Weirong and grandsons Shaoshu, Shaoyi, and Shaoli.



61. Taiyuan Mosque: 'The body is in the same place as others'.

Seal of Huang Daozhou.

Huang Daozhou was a famous scholar, calligrapher, and painter at the end of the Ming Dynasty.



62. Taiyuan Mosque: 'Universal now, unique later'.

Respectfully erected by Li Hechun, a successful candidate in the Shuntian Bingzi provincial examination and magistrate of Tianzhen County, Datong Prefecture.

A lucky day in the eleventh lunar month of the Jihai year, the nineteenth year of the Daoguang reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.



63. Taiyuan Mosque: 'The great potter of all things'.

Erected by Tian Li, a presented scholar (jinshi) who was specially appointed as a military official (dusi) at the Yulin City garrison in the Shaanxi Yanjing region, with a two-grade promotion and two recorded merits.

Erected on a lucky day in the autumn, the ninth lunar month of the Yichou year, the tenth year of the Qianlong reign.



64. Taiyuan Mosque's "Ancient Religion from the Beginning of Heaven"

Jin Guozheng, Regional Commander and Assistant Commissioner-in-Chief in charge of Taiyuan, Shanxi and other areas

An auspicious day in the second month of autumn, the Yiwei year of the Kangxi reign

Jin Guozheng was from Tongxin, Ningxia. He was a famous Hui Muslim general during the Qing Dynasty. During the Kangxi reign, he served as the Regional Commander of Datong, Shanxi, the Regional Commander of Taiyuan Prefecture, and the Provincial Commander of Guyuan.



65. Taiyuan Mosque's "The Sound of Chanting Cannot Reach the Depth of Feeling"

Erected by Li Ximo in the tenth year of the Xianfeng reign

Calligraphy by Fang Xiaoru

Fang Xiaoru was a famous scholar, writer, and thinker of the Ming Dynasty.



66. Datong Mosque's "Ten Thousand Transformations Bow to the Truth"

An auspicious day in the eighth month, the Guihai year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing



67. Duolun Middle Mosque, Inner Mongolia

Do not be greedy for this life, only for the afterlife; let the way of heaven and the way of man return to the true religion

Strictly keep to the righteous path, avoid what is improper, let the heart be happy and the body be at peace, and recognize the One

Respectfully presented in the eighth month of the twenty-fourth year of the Jiaqing reign



68. Duolun Middle Mosque, Inner Mongolia's "Blessings Protect the One Truth"

An auspicious day in the fifth month of the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Great Qing

Respectfully inscribed by Zheng Kuishi, Imperial Commissioner overseeing Ningguo military affairs, Commander-in-Chief of Zhejiang Province, supervisor of all land and naval garrisons, and holder of the title Jianwei General, Shalama Gai Batulu.

Zheng Kuishi was a famous general in the late Qing Dynasty and a Hui Muslim from Wanquan, Zhangjiakou, Hebei. He fought the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the Nian Army for many years. He was the first to break through Luzhou and was wounded over twenty times in Huaiyuan, nearly losing his life, which earned him great praise from the imperial court. When Zheng Kuishi inscribed the plaque for Duolun in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign, he was serving as the Zhejiang Commander-in-Chief and overseeing Ningguo military affairs, which was the highest rank of his career. In a memorial to the throne, Li Hongzhang highly praised Zheng Kuishi, saying he was "hardworking, resolute, and peerlessly brave... he was the first to face the enemy's sharp edge, braving death, and was severely wounded eight or nine times. His body was covered in scars, and among all the famous generals north and south of the Yangtze River at the time, everyone considered Kuishi the best."



69. "Ancient Islamic Teachings" (Qingzhen Gujiao) at the Middle Mosque (Zhongsi) in Duolun, Inner Mongolia.

Respectfully presented by Song Rui, specially appointed Commander of the Duolun Garrison and recipient of the imperial peacock feather.

An auspicious day in the sixth lunar month of the Yi-Hai year, the first year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.



70. "Benevolent Wind Spreads Everywhere" (Renfeng Pubei) at the Middle Mosque (Zhongsi) in Duolun, Inner Mongolia.

Presented by Lord Zhu Dezheng, holder of the fourth-rank title and peacock feather, acting administrator of the Duolun Nuo'er Civil Administration Office.

Respectfully presented by Hui Muslim community leaders Shan Yunxing, village elder Ma Wanxing, and others in the first month of summer, the thirty-first year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.



71. "Universal Mercy for the Present World" (Puci Jinshi) at the Middle Mosque (Zhongsi) in Duolun, Inner Mongolia.

An auspicious day in the seventh lunar month of the eighth year of the Republic of China.

Managed by the public.



72. "Unique Mercy for the Future World" (Duci Houshi) at the Middle Mosque (Zhongsi) in Duolun, Inner Mongolia.

An auspicious day in the seventh lunar month of the eighth year of the Republic of China.

Managed by the public.



73. Inner Mongolia Chasuqi Mosque (Chasuqi Si)

An auspicious day in the 47th year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing Dynasty



74. Baotou Great Mosque (Baotou Dasi) plaque "Guqiu"

An auspicious day in the third lunar month of the Jiawu year of the Daoguang reign of the Great Qing Dynasty

Inscribed by community leaders Wang Daxing and Bai Kede



75. Baotou Great Mosque plaque "Xianyang Zhengjiao"

An auspicious day in the eighth month of the second year of the Republic of China

Respectfully inscribed by Ma Fuxiang, Altay Garrison Commander, Army Lieutenant General, and Commander of the Gansu Zhaowu Patrol and Ningxia forces



76. Kaifeng Zhuxian Town North Mosque plaque "Zhenyi Huanzhen"

Inscribed by Yulu, First Rank official, Minister of War, Censor-in-Chief of the Left, and Viceroy of Huguang

Erected by Wu Dengshun and Yu Qinghe on an auspicious day in the first month of winter in the Wuzi year of the Guangxu reign



77. Kaifeng Zhuxian Town North Mosque plaque "Zhijiao Zhenyuan"

Inscribed by Zhu Yulu, Imperial Scholar and Governor of Henan

Erected on an auspicious day in the Dinghai year of the 30th year of the Qianlong reign



78. Kaifeng Zhuxian Town North Mosque plaque "Keshou Qingzhen"

Erected on an auspicious day in the first ten days of spring in the first year of the Xianfeng reign by the Zhu Town community.

Respectfully inscribed by Sha Lütai, a candidate for county magistrate in Henan.



79. The 'Knowing Before the Rain' plaque at the North Mosque in Zhuxian Town, Kaifeng.

Bestowed by imperial decree in the summer of the 50th year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Inscribed by Ji Yun, Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy.

Re-inscribed by Niu Guangfu, Honorary Dean of the Kaifeng Calligraphy and Painting Academy.

Re-erected in the ninth lunar month of 1988.

The original plaque was destroyed after 1966. Legend has it that in the summer of the 50th year of the Qianlong reign (1785), Emperor Qianlong toured the south with Ji Xiaolan. On their return, they stayed at the North Mosque in Zhuxian Town. It was a hot, sunny day in the seventh lunar month. When Emperor Qianlong left, the mosque's Imam Sai gave Ji Xiaolan a bamboo hat, a fox-fur coat, and rain gear. Ji Xiaolan did not understand why, but Imam Sai said they would surely be useful. As Emperor Qianlong’s party traveled north by boat along the grain transport canal, they had gone only about 20 li when a fierce storm broke out with thunder and rain. The temperature dropped suddenly, and Ji Xiaolan quickly draped the fox-fur coat the Imam had given him over the Emperor. Ji Xiaolan made a special trip back to the North Mosque in Zhuxian Town to ask Imam Sai how he had predicted the storm. The Imam said, 'Last night there was a lunar halo, and today the base of the stone pillar behind the mosque gate was damp. A lunar halo means wind, and damp stone bases mean rain. With both, there was bound to be heavy rain and hail.' After hearing this, Ji Xiaolan wrote the four large characters 'Knowing Before the Rain' (weiyu xianzhi), which were later made into a plaque and hung on the mosque gate.



80. The 'Shanyitang Mosque' in Kaifeng.

The second month of spring in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign.



81. Zhengzhou North Mosque: 'Blessings for All People'.

The virtuous governance of Imam (ahong) Mu of Yatang.

Inscribed by Ye Xiangmei.

An auspicious day in the eighth lunar month of the twenty-third year of the Republic of China.

The local community set up this plaque for Imam Mu Wenxiu. Legend says Imam Mu was invited to Yangqiaotan Township near the Yellow River in the northern suburbs of Zhengzhou to offer dua for rain and end a drought. After his dua, a soaking rain fell, providing enough water to end the drought. Imam Mu and others walked there under the hot sun and returned in the rain. The people were very grateful and presented this plaque to show their appreciation.



82. Zhengzhou North Mosque: 'The True Faith Flourishes'.

Presented by Yang Qizhen, Imperial Commissioner for Taiwan Military Affairs, First Rank Official, Minister-ranked Fujian Naval Admiral, and Hereditary Cloud-riding Lieutenant (yunqiwei) Peiling Abatur.

Presented by Hami Prince Hedile, Imperial Guard, permitted to ride a horse in the Forbidden City, recipient of the Imperial Yellow Jacket and the three-eyed peacock feather.

Presented by Yang Lianzhen, Commander of the Ten Fujian Battalions, expectant Brigade General (canjiang), recipient of the peacock feather, and three-time record holder for merit.

An auspicious day on the first day of the first lunar month in the twenty-first year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Yang Qizhen was a Hui Muslim from Huainan, Anhui, and a patriotic general in the late Qing Dynasty. In 1885, he led his troops to fight against French warships. He became the Admiral of the Fujian Navy in 1892 and built a mosque in Xiamen. In 1895, he passed through Zhengzhou and wrote a plaque for the North Mosque (Beidasi).



83. The 'His Majesty Has No Equal' plaque at the Zhengzhou North Mosque.

Inscribed by Ma Fuxiang, specially appointed Army General, General Xiangwu, and Military Governor of Suiyuan.

A lucky day in the middle of the seventh lunar month, the 13th year of the Republic of China.



84. Arabic plaque at the Zhengzhou North Mosque.

A lucky day in the sixth lunar month, the 14th year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Erected by Ai Zhijing, a follower of the Islamic faith.



85. The 'Truth Discusses the Three Worlds' plaque at the Zhengzhou North Mosque.

The 13th year of the Guangxu reign.

The World of Truth (the unseen world), the World of Form (the material world, the present life), and the World of Reality (the afterlife) are unified and inseparable. The World of Truth explores the origin of creation, the World of Form is the material reality we see, and the afterlife explores our future destination.



86. The 'Mosque' plaque at the Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an.

Erected on a day in the first lunar month of the Jiwei year, the Wanli reign of the Great Ming Dynasty.



87. Arabic plaque at the Zhenjiao Mosque in Qingzhou.

In the 12th year of the Yongzheng reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Rebuilt in the Jiayin year during the month of Qin.



88. Jinan North Mosque: 'Recognize the Oneness of Allah'.

Respectfully erected in the eighth month of the eleventh year of the Republic of China.

Written by Tang Kesan, Superintendent of the Xiamen Customs, after ritual washing.



89. Jinan North Mosque: 'Three Fears and Four Admonitions'.

An auspicious day in the latter part of the sixth month of the thirteenth year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully written by Tang Kesan, holder of the Second Class Order of the Golden Grain, former Daoyin of the Jinan Circuit in Shandong, and former Superintendent of the Xiamen Customs.

Tang Kesan was a Hui Muslim from Zoucheng, Shandong. He was a famous social activist during the Republic of China era. He served as the Shandong negotiator for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, director of the Shandong Epidemic Prevention Office, Superintendent of the Xiamen Customs, director of the Shandong Provincial Road Administration, and Daoyin of the Jinan West Circuit. He served as principal of Chengda Normal School, founded the 'Yuehua' magazine, helped establish the Chinese Islamic Progress Association, and organized and led the Hui Muslim movement to resist Japan and save the nation. He made great contributions to the faith.



90. Jinan Nanguan Mosque: 'Mosque'.

Built and renovated in the eighth year of the Xianfeng reign.



91. Linqing North Mosque: 'Sincere Intentions and Upright Heart'.

Erected by Li Ying, a nominated and appointed brave Baturu (a title of honor) of the Dengzhou General Military Office.

An auspicious day in the middle winter month of the Yiyou year, the eleventh year of the Guangxu reign.



92. Linqing North Mosque: 'The Proper Order of Human Relationships'.

An auspicious day in the first month of autumn in the Dingji year, the second year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Yang Jing, the Vice Regional Commander of Linqing and surrounding areas.



93. Linqing North Mosque, the "Pure and True Mosque" (Qingzhen Libaisi).

The first month of spring in the Jiajing year of Jiazi.



94. Linqing East Mosque, the "Mosque" (Libaisi).

Built in the second month of spring in the Yiyou year, the first year of the Chenghua reign.

Renovated on an auspicious day in the last month of summer in the Wanli year of Guiwei.

Renovated on an auspicious day in the second month of summer in the Shunzhi year of Jiwei.



95. Liaocheng East Mosque, "Benefits Shared Equally" (Lize Junzhan).

An auspicious day in the second month of spring in the Gengwu year of the Jiaqing reign of the Great Qing.

Disciples from Shanxi and Hebei.



96. Wuhu Mosque, "Ancient Faith That Opened the Heavens" (Kaitian Gujiao).

An auspicious day in the twenty-third year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully presented by fellow Muslims.



97. Xi'an Huajue Lane Great Mosque, "Encompassing the Universe" (Baoluo Yuzhou).

Respectfully erected by Sha Diankui, the imperial-appointed Blue Feather-wearing Major of the Shaanxi Governor's Left Battalion.

Written by Shi Zhongyu of Pinyang during the middle ten days of the sixth month of summer in the Daoguang year of Gengzi.



98. The Imperial Mosque (Chici Libaisi) at Huajue Lane in Xi'an.

Calligraphy by Dong Qichang, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

Erected on an auspicious day in the first month of summer in the Tianqi era.

Dong Qichang was a calligrapher and painter during the Ming Dynasty.



99. The plaque 'Lineage from the Holy Land' (Pai Yan Tian Fang) at the Huajue Lane Mosque in Xi'an.

The Imperial Seal of Empress Dowager Cixi.

Legend says that when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded in 1900, Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu fled to Xi'an. On the day they returned to the capital the following year, she wrote the inscription for this famous mosque. Tang Mianzhu, the former provincial judge, handled the delivery. The streets were packed with people watching the plaque being delivered, making it a very lively event.



100. The Huajue Lane Mosque in Xi'an.

The spider web remained intact, and the pigeons called out.

The message reached the warhorse, and the deer was released again.

Mid-Autumn Festival, the year of Guimao in the Guangxu reign.

Calligraphy by Wenti, a former compiler at the Hanlin Academy and Prefect of Kaifeng, Henan.

The Prophet was pursued by the Quraish tribe and hid in the Cave of Thawr with Abu Bakr.

The enemies reached the cave entrance and saw the spider web was unbroken.

They thought no one was inside and left.

The pursuers were still suspicious and threw stones to test the cave, causing two turtledoves (hu ge) to fly out.

The enemy saw the birds were not startled, so they were sure no one was there and the threat of war disappeared.

Companions of the Prophet, warhorses delivering messages, battles, and treaties.

A non-believer caught a live deer and said to the Prophet, If you can make this deer speak, I will convert. The Prophet guaranteed the deer would be released to nurse its young and promised it would return. The deer returned on time.

The non-believer was amazed and converted to the faith.

Wenti was from the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner, of the Guwalgiya clan, and a calligrapher in the late Qing Dynasty.





Appreciating plaques and couplets from the faith (1-50 pieces). Collapse Read »

Web repost translation

Muslim Travel Guide Singapore 2026: Mosques, Hidden Prayer Rooms and Muslim Visitor Route (Part 2)



This side of the road shows the back of the mosque. The mosque has a very restrained design, using solid, low-saturation colors for the main structure. The large building behind the prayer hall is likely office space.

Inside the mosque, there are two prayer rooms, one in the front and one in the back, separated by several doors. Push open the door and you are in the inner prayer hall. There were two elderly men inside at the time, and one of them really looked a bit like Modi. They are all from Gujarat, so their strengths and regional traits are linked. It is not surprising that they look a bit alike.



Push open the door and you are in the inner prayer hall. There were two elderly men inside at the time, and one of them really looked a bit like Modi. After all, they are both Gujarati, and appearance is related to geography, so it is not strange that they look a bit alike.

There is a long flag on each side of the mihrab, one red and one green. Other mosques do not have these kinds of flags, so let us zoom in to see what is written on them. The content on both flags is basically the same. From top to bottom, it is written: Allah, Muhammad (the Prophet himself), Ali (the fourth Caliph), Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter and Ali's wife), Hasan (the eldest son of Ali and Fatimah), and Husayn (the second son of Ali and Fatimah). The red banner adds an exclamation word, 'Ya', before each name. There is similar content on the wall as well. Since I did not see any specific differences between how Shia and Sunni Muslims perform namaz during this visit to a Shia mosque, I decided to go to Iran to see for myself. That is how the later trip to Iran came about. Friends who are interested can check out my travel notes on Iranian mosques in my official WeChat account.

6. The prayer room (surau) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

After seeing so many mosques, let us now take a look at a prayer room. What is the difference between a prayer room and a mosque? The size of the space is secondary; indeed, generally speaking, a prayer room is smaller than a mosque. But some mosques are actually very small. From what I have seen, prayer rooms usually do not have permanent staff. People come here to pray in a group they organized themselves, or they pray alone and then leave. It is not like a mosque where there are permanent staff to call the adhan and lead the five daily prayers. Another difference is that prayer rooms are usually much simpler than mosques and lack necessary facilities. Mosques have toilets, a room for minor ablution (wudu), and a room for major ablution (ghusl). As for prayer rooms, some have toilets and an area for minor ablution. Some only have a few water taps. The prayer room I am going to talk about next is actually quite large, so you will see the difference between it and a mosque. First of all, it looks very plain, with no minaret and no sign on the door. To passersby, this place just looks like a small shed. When you enter the prayer room, there is actually a small courtyard inside. The courtyard has long tables and benches, as well as free tea. People who come to pray can sit on the benches to rest for a while and drink some water. You have to drink water in this Singapore weather. I usually do not drink much water, but I drink two bottles of mineral water a day since coming to Singapore. Inside the prayer room, I saw medical staff from the hospital coming to pray, and I even met a Singapore police officer here once. This prayer room is quite large, even bigger than some small mosques. There are many straw mats (liangxi) in the prayer room porch. When it gets crowded, people spread them out to use as prayer rugs. This shows that many people come here for Friday congregational prayers. The prayer schedule inside the room is electronic, but it might be broken because it is not showing the times. So now they are using this manual prayer schedule, where the times can be adjusted by hand.

7. The prayer room at Marina One

Marina One is a shopping mall in the CBD area near the Singapore waterfront. According to the map, there is a prayer room in this underground mall. I spent a long time looking for it on my first visit and even asked an Indian security guard at the nearby parking lot where the prayer room was. The security guard was very kind and pointed me in the right direction. The prayer room is on the B2 level, which is the first floor down. You can see the Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands, from the mall entrance. After going down, follow the path and you will see a round window. It looks like a laundry shop decorated to look like a washing machine. The prayer room is right next to this laundry shop. The prayer room is easy to find because it is marked with a dome and a star and crescent symbol. Open this door and you will see a small door on both the left and the right. Men go to the left and women to the right to pray separately. The prayer room is right through the door. The facilities for wudu (ablution) are very basic and only cover the essential parts, so you should still use a nearby restroom stall for a full wash. A prayer room is just what it sounds like: a small room where you can perform namaz. The facilities inside are simple, so there is no mihrab and no podium. There is no pulpit (minbar). However, this prayer room has an unexpectedly large number of books. The back is filled with all kinds of books, and there are even missionary materials. It is normal to see these in a mosque since tourists visit, but since only Muslims come to the prayer room, why are there missionary materials here? Once you leave the prayer room, this mall is no different from any other mall in Singapore. It mainly has restaurants, therapy centers, supermarkets, and similar shops. That is all for this episode, as we only covered these few places. We will continue with the rest next time.



There is a long flag on each side of the mihrab, one red and one green. Other mosques do not have these kinds of flags, so let us zoom in to see what is written on them. The content on both flags is basically the same. From top to bottom, it is written: Allah, Muhammad (the Prophet himself), Ali (the fourth Caliph), Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter and Ali's wife), Hasan (the eldest son of Ali and Fatimah), and Husayn (the second son of Ali and Fatimah). The red banner adds an exclamation word, 'Ya', before each name. There is similar content on the wall as well. Since I did not see any specific differences between how Shia and Sunni Muslims perform namaz during this visit to a Shia mosque, I decided to go to Iran to see for myself. That is how the later trip to Iran came about. Friends who are interested can check out my travel notes on Iranian mosques in my official WeChat account.

6. The prayer room (surau) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

After seeing so many mosques, let us now take a look at a prayer room. What is the difference between a prayer room and a mosque? The size of the space is secondary; indeed, generally speaking, a prayer room is smaller than a mosque. But some mosques are actually very small. From what I have seen, prayer rooms usually do not have permanent staff. People come here to pray in a group they organized themselves, or they pray alone and then leave. It is not like a mosque where there are permanent staff to call the adhan and lead the five daily prayers. Another difference is that prayer rooms are usually much simpler than mosques and lack necessary facilities. Mosques have toilets, a room for minor ablution (wudu), and a room for major ablution (ghusl). As for prayer rooms, some have toilets and an area for minor ablution. Some only have a few water taps. The prayer room I am going to talk about next is actually quite large, so you will see the difference between it and a mosque. First of all, it looks very plain, with no minaret and no sign on the door. To passersby, this place just looks like a small shed. When you enter the prayer room, there is actually a small courtyard inside. The courtyard has long tables and benches, as well as free tea. People who come to pray can sit on the benches to rest for a while and drink some water. You have to drink water in this Singapore weather. I usually do not drink much water, but I drink two bottles of mineral water a day since coming to Singapore. Inside the prayer room, I saw medical staff from the hospital coming to pray, and I even met a Singapore police officer here once. This prayer room is quite large, even bigger than some small mosques. There are many straw mats (liangxi) in the prayer room porch. When it gets crowded, people spread them out to use as prayer rugs. This shows that many people come here for Friday congregational prayers. The prayer schedule inside the room is electronic, but it might be broken because it is not showing the times. So now they are using this manual prayer schedule, where the times can be adjusted by hand.

7. The prayer room at Marina One

Marina One is a shopping mall in the CBD area near the Singapore waterfront. According to the map, there is a prayer room in this underground mall. I spent a long time looking for it on my first visit and even asked an Indian security guard at the nearby parking lot where the prayer room was. The security guard was very kind and pointed me in the right direction. The prayer room is on the B2 level, which is the first floor down. You can see the Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands, from the mall entrance. After going down, follow the path and you will see a round window. It looks like a laundry shop decorated to look like a washing machine. The prayer room is right next to this laundry shop. The prayer room is easy to find because it is marked with a dome and a star and crescent symbol. Open this door and you will see a small door on both the left and the right. Men go to the left and women to the right to pray separately. The prayer room is right through the door. The facilities for wudu (ablution) are very basic and only cover the essential parts, so you should still use a nearby restroom stall for a full wash. A prayer room is just what it sounds like: a small room where you can perform namaz. The facilities inside are simple, so there is no mihrab and no podium. There is no pulpit (minbar). However, this prayer room has an unexpectedly large number of books. The back is filled with all kinds of books, and there are even missionary materials. It is normal to see these in a mosque since tourists visit, but since only Muslims come to the prayer room, why are there missionary materials here? Once you leave the prayer room, this mall is no different from any other mall in Singapore. It mainly has restaurants, therapy centers, supermarkets, and similar shops. That is all for this episode, as we only covered these few places. We will continue with the rest next time.



There is similar content on the wall as well. Since I did not see any specific differences between how Shia and Sunni Muslims perform namaz during this visit to a Shia mosque, I decided to go to Iran to see for myself. That is how the later trip to Iran came about. Friends who are interested can check out my travel notes on Iranian mosques in my official WeChat account.

6. The prayer room (surau) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

We have seen so many mosques already, so now let us look at the prayer.
Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Japan Muslim travel guide uses the author's 2024 field observations and online checks to discuss mosques, Muslims, and halal travel in Japan. It keeps the original evidence path, travel notes, and local Muslim life context.

I put this article together using what I saw with my own eyes while traveling in Japan, along with information I easily found on YouTube, Google Maps, the Google Play Store, and Google Search.

On top of that, information from domestic AI software was a big help to me.

There are a lot of pictures later on, so keep an eye on your data usage. Writing this was hard work, and I am sharing it purely out of passion, so I hope you will give it a like to encourage me.

I went to Japan in early May 2024. Before I left, I had already read several articles claiming things like "there are no Muslims in Japan" or "there are no mosques in Japan."

When I read those articles, I had big doubts about whether they were true.

Once I actually stepped onto Japanese soil, I realized those claims were very one-sided.



First, let's see if the local area is really like some videos and articles say, where there is only one mosque in all of Japan.



Just in downtown Tokyo, if you search using the keyword "mosque," a lot of red dots pop up on the map.

This is basically the distribution map of mosques in Tokyo.

Because some small prayer rooms do not show up on the map, the reality is that there are even more places to pray than what you see.

I knew there were mosques in Japan before I went, and it is not like what some articles say about there being only one or two in the whole country.

I really did not expect there to be so many.

I visited the largest one, which is right in Yoyogi.

It is not just a mosque, but also a Turkish cultural center with a small museum next door.

There is a supermarket on the first floor that specializes in halal food.

Nearby, there are also classrooms where Muslim children learn basic religious knowledge.





The interior view of Yoyogi Mosque.

Later, I went to the Japan Islamic Cultural Center in Gotanda, which looks much simpler, as space is very expensive in a big city.

The prayer hall is upstairs, and the cafeteria is downstairs.





I remember an article I read before saying that Japan bans the sale of any Islamic books.

But on the fourth day of my trip, on the way to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, I passed a fairly large bookstore.

I felt like going in for a look, and this was the first large or medium-sized bookstore I entered in Japan.

As it turned out, I saw this on the shelf for religious books:



The books marked inside the green circles are about Islam.

Of course, there are definitely more books on Buddhism by comparison.

Now let's use the internet to check if the Japanese government really stops people from learning about Islam.

We open the Google Play Store and search using the Japanese word for Islam, "isurāmu," to see if Japanese people can read e-books on the topic.





These are all things that ordinary Japanese citizens can buy easily, and many are even free.

Don't want to read? No problem, there are videos to watch on YouTube.

There are local Japanese Muslim scholars who explain Islamic knowledge on YouTube:





After that, I set off for Shizuoka City to see Mount Fuji, where there are usually fewer Muslims in smaller cities like this.

I searched and, sure enough, there is only one mosque there.



However, the Shizuoka Mosque is quite large and has a wide open space.

If you search for "eid" (the Arabic word for festivals, specifically referring to Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) plus "Shizuoka" on YouTube, you can see videos of the Eid celebrations filmed there.



Next, I went to Osaka and Kyoto. Osaka is also a big city, so it has a few more mosques.

Back home, I only heard that Tokyo had mosques and that there was one in Kobe.

To my surprise, I found that other cities actually have quite a few mosques too.



Kyoto has fewer mosques, which makes sense since the city is full of traditional houses and Buddhist temples.

Even so, there are still mosques there.



Before heading back to China, I returned to Tokyo on a Friday.

That was when I visited the Islamic cultural exchange center I mentioned earlier.

As is the custom, the imam gives a speech on Fridays.

The imam gives his speech in Japanese first, then explains it briefly in English.

Some might worry that Imam Sato speaks difficult Japanese-style English, but honestly, it sounds quite smooth.

Why use English?

Because most of the Muslims attending namaz in Japan are foreigners.

There are foreign workers here, as well as foreign tourists like me whose Japanese isn't very good.

Are there any native Japanese Muslims?

Of course there are, but native Japanese Muslims only make up a small portion.

So if you only speak in Japanese, many people won't understand.

I met several Japanese Muslims at the time.

I stared at them, wondering: is there any difference between them and ordinary Japanese people on the street?

If you met them on the road, I bet no one would guess they are Muslims:



Except for one person from Indonesia, everyone in this photo is a native Japanese Muslim.

Finally, I went to the Yoyogi Mosque one more time.

I happened to catch a young Japanese man and woman officially converting to Islam in front of an imam.

As I mentioned before, that mosque is a Turkish cultural center funded by the Turkish government.

There is an imam who only speaks Turkish and does not speak Japanese.

He had an interpreter next to him to help pass on his message.

I watched two young people finish their conversion ceremony right there.

There was also an older imam who seemed to be fluent in both Turkish and Japanese.

He is likely the one in charge of the Friday Jumu'ah sermon at Yoyogi Mosque.

I bought a round-trip ticket, and I chose Tokyo Narita Airport as my departure point.

So, I had to go back to Narita Airport in the end.



There are two prayer rooms set up at the check-in area of Narita Airport.

These prayer rooms are not just for Muslims, but we can take a look at the facilities inside.



At the entrance, there is a place to perform wudu before prayer, with a small stool and even tissues provided.



Inside, there are movable tables, chairs, and carpets, which make it much easier for Muslims to pray.

Actually, all the information mentioned above can be verified.

Most people traveling to Japan probably would not think to visit a mosque at all.

But if you have ever stepped into a convenience store, you have surely seen many brown-skinned young men, right?

Most of them come from Bangladesh.



Bangladesh is a South Asian country and also a nation with a large population.

It has very close historical ties with India and Pakistan.

So, what is the mainstream religion in Bangladesh? I looked it up using DeepSeek:



Japan currently faces a very serious aging population problem, and the labor market is in urgent need of workers from various countries.

When it comes to hiring, they really do not have much room to be picky.

Therefore, it is unrealistic to completely shut out Muslim labor.

Moreover, Japan is a major tourism destination that welcomes a massive number of foreign visitors every year.

Turning away all Muslim tourists is clearly not possible.

The number of mosques in Japan is actually quite high now.

This is especially notable considering Japan's first mosque was not built until 1935.

In less than a hundred years, the number has grown significantly; you can count the red dots on the map yourself.

Keep in mind that the entire city of Shanghai only has seven mosques, including the Songjiang Mosque and the Jinshan Mosque.

Besides Tokyo and Osaka, Nagoya is the only other major city in Japan worth mentioning.

Let's look at the general distribution and number of mosques in Nagoya.



Now, let me show you what the mosques in Nagoya look like.



Google Maps has real-life photos where you can click the arrows to see different angles.

As you can see, this mosque is actually a converted small building of the type people build themselves in Japan.

After looking at the big cities, let's check out a more remote part of Japan—Hokkaido.



In my mind, this place is always covered in snow and has a very cold climate.

Yet even in a place like this, there are already mosques.

Let's take a look at a mosque in Sapporo, Hokkaido.



I have seen Hokkaido, the northernmost part of Japan, but what about the Ryukyu Islands, which are far south and quite a distance from the mainland?

This place used to be the Ryukyu Kingdom, and it still keeps its very distinct character today.



There are very few mosques here, but the population is small and the area is tiny anyway.

On a map, the Okinawa Islands look like just a few small dots, almost invisible.



You can compare them: the circle above shows Kyushu Island, and the oval below shows the main island of Okinawa.

One look at the comparison shows that Okinawa is really, really small.

It is such a small place, and it is much further from the Japanese mainland than Japan is from Jeju Island in South Korea.

Even so, there is still a mosque there.

That is enough about the mosque for now, so let us look at the next part:

Japan bans all Arabic language education, and Japanese educational institutions are not allowed to teach Arabic.

Is this claim reliable? Let us look into it together.

Waseda University is probably one of the most familiar Japanese universities to Chinese people.

Haruki Murakami is a graduate of this school.

This university offers courses in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies.

Here is the proof, a screenshot from their official website.





A simple translation of the English inside the red box is:

In short, students can study Arabic here during their undergraduate years.

They also have the chance to learn other Middle Eastern languages, such as Persian and Turkish.

Now we understand that Japanese universities do teach Arabic.

Let's see what other universities are doing.

Kyoto University also has a center for Islamic area studies, as shown in the image below:



Let's look at another one, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies:



This is a higher education institution that specializes in foreign languages, and it has an Arabic major.

Let's look at the official website's brief introduction to this major.



Here is a simple translation of the key points (I was too lazy to translate it myself, so I just threw it at an AI).



What about Japan's top university, the University of Tokyo (also known as Todai)?



Todai also has an Islamic studies department. Let's look at the summary:



The text in the red box basically says: To help researchers accurately understand Islamic civilization, Todai teaches them relevant languages, including Arabic.

After checking the information myself, I found that the claim that "no educational institution in Japan offers Arabic education" simply doesn't hold up.

I have also seen a claim elsewhere that Japan has no halal restaurants and that you cannot buy halal food at all.

Is that true? Let's search and see.





I searched in Tokyo again. I searched twice, and the results were slightly different each time.

I also found some restaurants on the "Japan Muslim Service Network" that you can find on Google.

I took a few screenshots, and here is a simple translation:





You can find halal versions of both international flavors and traditional Japanese cuisine.

You might be curious about what the symbol in the red circle means.

I looked it up, and it means the shop has a prayer room.

My earlier analysis was right: just searching for a mosque will make you miss many of these small prayer rooms inside shops.

So, there are likely even more places to pray than what we can see.

Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Singapore Muslim travel guide is a full route through the city's mosques and hidden prayer rooms. It keeps the original table of contents, site-by-site order, mosque names, prayer-room details, and Muslim visitor notes.

Table of Contents:

1. Sultan Mosque

2. Malabar Mosque

3. Al-Abrar Mosque

4. Angullia Mosque

5. Burhani Mosque, the only Shia mosque in Singapore (Masjid Al Burhani)

6. Prayer room at Singapore General Hospital

7. Prayer room at Marina One shopping mall

(Content below to be updated)

8. Jamae Mosque, which features minarets in a South Indian style.

9. The South Indian gongbei of Singapore, Nagore Dargah.

10. Al-Abrar Mosque.

11. Underground Mosque.

12. Omar Kampong Melaka Mosque, the oldest mosque in Singapore.

13. Al-Amin Mosque.

14. Temenggong Mosque.

15. Sentosa prayer room.

16. Singapore Islamic Centre Mosque.

17. Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.

18. Tomb of Habib Nuh (Habib Nuh Lingmu)

19. Haji Muhammad Salleh Mosque

20. Hajjah Fatimah Mosque

21. Changi Airport Prayer Room

1. Sultan Mosque

I took a taxi from Changi Airport, and the driver was an elderly Chinese gentleman. We mostly spoke in English. He could speak Mandarin, but he kept switching back to English out of habit. After getting off at Bugis, I realized it was very close to Arab Street, less than a five-minute walk away. It was December, and the street wasn't as hot as I had imagined. The buildings along the street looked very clean, and they often had one or two floors in the middle left open for planting trees.

There is a large mosque on Arab Street, which is likely the most famous mosque in Singapore. Many people visiting Singapore make sure to stop by this mosque. This mosque is called Sultan Mosque. The main prayer hall has two golden domes that look very bold and eye-catching.



What you see from this side of the road is actually the mihrab area of the mosque; you have to enter through the small alley on the side to reach the main entrance. There are many halal restaurants and souvenir shops in that alley, showing that there are a lot of tourists here. Following this path leads you to the front gate of the mosque. There is a special tourist route starting from the front gate that lets you enter the main prayer hall for a visit.



The space inside the mosque is very large. The ceiling of the main prayer hall is very high. It was likely built this way to help with heat dissipation since keeping the room warm is not a concern.



The second floor seems to be the women's prayer area, so I did not go up there.

Let me show you the mosque's mihrab niche and minbar pulpit. They are crafted beautifully with both calligraphy and floral patterns, giving them a strong Southeast Asian feel. If you want to see more details, you can check out the post I shared previously about the Sultan Mosque. This mosque is one of the older ones in Singapore. It started as a simple place of worship built by the Sultan of Johor in 1824 for local Muslims, and it was later expanded to its current size. The current building uses Indo-Saracenic style, which you can also see in India and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I will share more related content with you in the future.

2. Malabar Mosque

This mosque is very close to the Sultan Mosque, just a few steps away. It is right by the side of the road and very easy to spot, so you will definitely see it when you pass by. Founded in 1963, Malabar Mosque is a mosque for the Malabar Muslim community, though Muslims from other backgrounds are of course welcome to pray there too. There is an information board near the entrance that explains the history of the mosque and shows old photos taken in 1960. Looking at the old photos, the Malabar Mosque did not have its blue tiles back then. The word Malabar comes from a Muslim community in the Kerala state of southern India. Many people know there are many Muslims in northern India, but there are actually many in southern India as well. Muslims in Kerala existed even before the establishment of northern Indian Muslim regimes like the Delhi Sultanate, which later became the Mughal Empire. On the outer wall of the mosque, you can see a commemorative plaque with gold-rimmed tiles stating that this is a mosque for the Malabar Muslim community, officially opened by Yusof bin Ishak. This Yusof was the first president of Singapore, and his portrait is the one printed on Singaporean banknotes today. Let us take a look inside the mosque. This mosque is much smaller than the Sultan Mosque we just visited, and the interior is much simpler. However, the basic layout of the prayer hall is similar, and there is also a women's prayer area upstairs. Judging by their features and skin tone, most people coming here to pray look like they are of South Asian descent.

3. Al-Abrar Mosque

Abdul Gafoor Mosque is located in the Little India neighborhood of Singapore. Many Indian people live in this area, which has a South Indian-style Hindu mosque as well as other religious buildings, such as this mosque. Of course, the local term for it is mosque (huijiaotang). This mosque is colored white and green, and you can see a sun design wrapping around a star and crescent in the center of the main gate lintel. The sun has 25 rays, and if you look closely, each ray is actually the name of a prophet. There are 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran, including Adam (Adan), Noah (Nuh), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad. The prayer hall is not large, but it is very delicate, and the pillars are shaped like matcha-flavored twisted dough sticks (mahua). Also, the central courtyard allows light to reach the basement. There is a prayer area underground as well. Take a look, the pillars in the basement also have this twisted dough stick shape.



Let me show you the mosque's mihrab niche and minbar pulpit. It is beautifully made, featuring not just calligraphy but also floral patterns, giving it a real Southeast Asian feel. If you want to see more details, check out my previous post about the Sultan Mosque. This mosque is one of the older ones in Singapore. The Sultan of Johor first built a simple place of worship here in 1824 for local Muslims to use, and it was later expanded to its current size. The current building uses Indo-Saracenic style. You can see similar mosques in India and in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I will share more updates with you later.

2. Malabar Mosque

This mosque is very close to the Sultan Mosque. It is just a few steps away and sits right by the road, so it is very easy to spot. I am sure you will see it if you pass by. The Malabar Mosque was established in 1963. It is a mosque for the Malabar Muslim community, but Muslims from other ethnic groups are of course welcome to pray there too. There is an information board near the entrance where you can learn about the history of the mosque. You can also see a photo taken in 1960, which shows that the Malabar Mosque did not have its blue tiles back then. The word Malabar comes from a Muslim ethnic group in the state of Kerala in southern India. Many people know that there are many Muslims in North India, but there are actually many in South India as well. The Muslims of Kerala existed even before North Indian Muslim regimes like the Delhi Sultanate (and later the Mughal Empire) were established. On the outer wall of the mosque, you can still see a commemorative plaque edged with gold tiles. It states that this is a mosque for the Malabar Muslim community, officially opened by Yusof bin Ishak. This Yusof was Singapore's first president, and he is the person featured on current Singaporean banknotes. Let's look inside the mosque. It is much smaller than the Sultan Mosque we just visited, and the interior is quite a bit simpler. However, the basic layout of the prayer hall is similar, with the upstairs area also reserved for women. Judging by their features and skin tone, most of the people coming to this mosque for namaz appear to be from South Asia.

3. Al-Abrar Mosque

Abdul Gafoor Mosque is in Singapore's Little India neighborhood. Many Indian people live in this area, which is home to a South Indian-style Hindu mosque as well as buildings for other religions, such as this mosque. Of course, the local term used here is mosque (huijiaotang). The mosque is painted in white and green, and in the center of the main gate's lintel, you can see a sun design surrounding a star and crescent. The sun has 25 rays. If you look closely, each ray represents the name of a prophet. There are 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran, including Adam (Adan), Noah (Nuha), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad. The prayer hall is small but very delicate, and the pillars look just like matcha-flavored twisted dough sticks (mahua). The central courtyard also lets light shine down into the basement. There is a prayer area underground as well. Notice that the basement pillars also have this twisted rope design.





If you want to see more details, check out my previous post about the Sultan Mosque. This mosque is one of the older ones in Singapore. The Sultan of Johor first built a simple place of worship here in 1824 for local Muslims to use, and it was later expanded to its current size. The current building uses Indo-Saracenic style. You can see similar mosques in India and in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I will share more updates with you later.

2. Malabar Mosque

This mosque is very close to the Sultan Mosque. It is just a few steps away and sits right by the road, so it is very easy to spot. I am sure you will see it if you pass by. The Malabar Mosque was established in 1963. It is a mosque for the Malabar Muslim community, but Muslims from other ethnic groups are of course welcome to pray there too. There is an information board near the entrance where you can learn about the history of the mosque. You can also see a photo taken in 1960, which shows that the Malabar Mosque did not have its blue tiles back then. The word Malabar comes from a Muslim ethnic group in the state of Kerala in southern India. Many people know that there are many Muslims in North India, but there are actually many in South India as well. The Muslims of Kerala existed even before North Indian Muslim regimes like the Delhi Sultanate (and later the Mughal Empire) were established. On the outer wall of the mosque, you can still see a commemorative plaque edged with gold tiles. It states that this is a mosque for the Malabar Muslim community, officially opened by Yusof bin Ishak. This Yusof was Singapore's first president, and he is the person featured on current Singaporean banknotes. Let's look inside the mosque. It is much smaller than the Sultan Mosque we just visited, and the interior is quite a bit simpler. However, the basic layout of the prayer hall is similar, with the upstairs area also reserved for women. Judging by their features and skin tone, most of the people coming to this mosque for namaz appear to be from South Asia.

3. Al-Abrar Mosque

Abdul Gafoor Mosque is in Singapore's Little India neighborhood. Many Indian people live in this area, which is home to a South Indian-style Hindu mosque as well as buildings for other religions, such as this mosque. Of course, the local term used here is mosque (huijiaotang). The mosque is painted in white and green, and in the center of the main gate's lintel, you can see a sun design surrounding a star and crescent. The sun has 25 rays. If you look closely, each ray represents the name of a prophet. There are 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran, including Adam (Adan), Noah (Nuha), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad. The prayer hall is small but very delicate, and the pillars look just like matcha-flavored twisted dough sticks (mahua). The central courtyard also lets light shine down into the basement. There is a prayer area underground as well. Notice that the basement pillars also have this twisted rope design.



There is an information board near the entrance where you can learn about the history of the mosque. You can also see a photo taken in 1960, which shows that the Malabar Mosque did not have its blue tiles back then. The word Malabar comes from a Muslim ethnic group in the state of Kerala in southern India. Many people know that there are many Muslims in North India, but there are actually many in South India as well. The Muslims of Kerala existed even before North Indian Muslim regimes like the Delhi Sultanate (and later the Mughal Empire) were established. On the outer wall of the mosque, you can still see a commemorative plaque edged with gold tiles. It states that this is a mosque for the Malabar Muslim community, officially opened by Yusof bin Ishak. This Yusof was Singapore's first president, and he is the person featured on current Singaporean banknotes. Let's look inside the mosque. It is much smaller than the Sultan Mosque we just visited, and the interior is quite a bit simpler. However, the basic layout of the prayer hall is similar, with the upstairs area also reserved for women. Judging by their features and skin tone, most of the people coming to this mosque for namaz appear to be from South Asia.

3. Al-Abrar Mosque

Abdul Gafoor Mosque is in Singapore's Little India neighborhood. Many Indian people live in this area, which is home to a South Indian-style Hindu mosque as well as buildings for other religions, such as this mosque. Of course, the local term used here is mosque (huijiaotang). The mosque is painted in white and green, and in the center of the main gate's lintel, you can see a sun design surrounding a star and crescent. The sun has 25 rays. If you look closely, each ray represents the name of a prophet. There are 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran, including Adam (Adan), Noah (Nuha), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad. The prayer hall is small but very delicate, and the pillars look just like matcha-flavored twisted dough sticks (mahua). The central courtyard also lets light shine down into the basement. There is a prayer area underground as well. Notice that the basement pillars also have this twisted rope design.



On the outer wall of the mosque, you can still see a commemorative plaque edged with gold tiles. It states that this is a mosque for the Malabar Muslim community, officially opened by Yusof bin Ishak. This Yusof was Singapore's first president, and he is the person featured on current Singaporean banknotes.

Let's look inside the mosque. It is much smaller than the Sultan Mosque we just visited, and the interior is quite a bit simpler. However, the basic layout of the prayer hall is similar, with the upstairs area also reserved for women. Judging by their features and skin tone, most of the people coming to this mosque for namaz appear to be from South Asia.

3. Al-Abrar Mosque

Abdul Gafoor Mosque is in Singapore's Little India neighborhood. Many Indian people live in this area, which is home to a South Indian-style Hindu mosque as well as buildings for other religions, such as this mosque. Of course, the local term used here is mosque (huijiaotang). The mosque is painted in white and green, and in the center of the main gate's lintel, you can see a sun design surrounding a star and crescent. The sun has 25 rays. If you look closely, each ray represents the name of a prophet. There are 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran, including Adam (Adan), Noah (Nuha), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad. The prayer hall is small but very delicate, and the pillars look just like matcha-flavored twisted dough sticks (mahua). The central courtyard also lets light shine down into the basement. There is a prayer area underground as well. Notice that the basement pillars also have this twisted rope design.



Let's look inside the mosque. It is much smaller than the Sultan Mosque we just visited, and the interior is quite a bit simpler. However, the basic layout of the prayer hall is similar, with the upstairs area also reserved for women. Judging by their features and skin tone, most of the people coming to this mosque for namaz appear to be from South Asia.

3. Al-Abrar Mosque

Abdul Gafoor Mosque is in Singapore's Little India neighborhood. Many Indian people live in this area, which is home to a South Indian-style Hindu mosque as well as buildings for other religions, such as this mosque. Of course, the local term used here is mosque (huijiaotang). The mosque is painted in white and green, and in the center of the main gate's lintel, you can see a sun design surrounding a star and crescent. The sun has 25 rays. If you look closely, each ray represents the name of a prophet. There are 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran, including Adam (Adan), Noah (Nuha), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad. The prayer hall is small but very delicate, and the pillars look just like matcha-flavored twisted dough sticks (mahua). The central courtyard also lets light shine down into the basement. There is a prayer area underground as well. Notice that the basement pillars also have this twisted rope design.



3. Al-Abrar Mosque

Abdul Gafoor Mosque is in Singapore's Little India neighborhood. Many Indian people live in this area, which is home to a South Indian-style Hindu mosque as well as buildings for other religions, such as this mosque. Of course, the local term used here is mosque (huijiaotang).

The mosque is painted in white and green, and in the center of the main gate's lintel, you can see a sun design surrounding a star and crescent. The sun has 25 rays. If you look closely, each ray represents the name of a prophet. There are 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran, including Adam (Adan), Noah (Nuha), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad. The prayer hall is small but very delicate, and the pillars look just like matcha-flavored twisted dough sticks (mahua). The central courtyard also lets light shine down into the basement. There is a prayer area underground as well. Notice that the basement pillars also have this twisted rope design.



The mosque is painted in white and green, and in the center of the main gate's lintel, you can see a sun design surrounding a star and crescent. The sun has 25 rays. If you look closely, each ray represents the name of a prophet. There are 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran, including Adam (Adan), Noah (Nuha), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad.

The prayer hall is small but very delicate, and the pillars look just like matcha-flavored twisted dough sticks (mahua). The central courtyard also lets light shine down into the basement. There is a prayer area underground as well. Notice that the basement pillars also have this twisted rope design.



The prayer hall is small but very delicate, and the pillars look just like matcha-flavored twisted dough sticks (mahua). The central courtyard also lets light shine down into the basement. There is a prayer area underground as well. Notice that the basement pillars also have this twisted rope design.



Beyond its unique architecture, a highlight of this mosque is that it was founded by an Indian. Inside the mosque, you will find Arabic, the universal language of Islam, English for tourists, and also Tamil. This is a South Indian language, primarily spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. The Singapore MRT also uses this language for announcements, usually as the final language played. The picture below shows the prayer times in Tamil displayed on a screen inside the prayer hall. The surprises at this small mosque do not end there; it even has a small museum. The guide is an older Tamil Indian man who works at the mosque. He speaks Tamil, a language with a very fast speaking pace. Because of this, he also speaks English at a very high speed. The mosque houses fragments of handwritten Quran manuscripts and a Chinese translation of the Quran by Mr. Ma Jian. On the wall, there is an interactive display of the 99 Names of Allah. The front features Arabic calligraphy of the names, and the back shows the English translation. Interested friends can search my homepage for the post about Abdul Gafoor Mosque.

4. Angullia Mosque

Angullia Mosque was built by the Angullia family, a family that has also built mosques in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. They come from Gujarat, India, which is Modi's hometown. Their family is good at business, so they travel everywhere to trade. This Nagore Dargah Mosque (Anguliya Mosque) is the one they built in Singapore. The color scheme reminds people of the red sandstone often used in Indian architecture. The prayer area inside the mosque has two floors, and the second floor is about half the length of the first. There is a small transparent dome above the mihrab that lets light in. I found a Quran translated into Bengali in the mosque. Bangladesh is also a Muslim country, where over 90 percent of the population is Muslim. Bengali uses the Bengali script. Seeing this Brahmic script used for the Quran really reminded me of the scriptures of another religion. The presence of a Bengali Quran in the mosque shows that many Bengali people come here to pray. The mosque's courtyard is very small, but they still managed to set up an exhibition area. It displays meaningful items used by the mosque in the past, such as bricks from when the old mosque was built and pots used for cooking porridge. They did not waste the mosque's outer walls either. They posted a brief introduction to the Anguliya family on the walls, along with photos of mosques their family built in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and other places. (I didn't expect to see that they even have them in the Philippines.)

5. Burhani Mosque (the only Shia mosque in Singapore)

At the Abdul Gafoor Mosque mentioned earlier, a Tamil guide told me that Singapore has a Shia mosque. I was immediately interested because I had never been to a Shia mosque in my life. I used to think you could only see Shia mosques in Iran or Iraq, so I was surprised to find one in Singapore. On second thought, it makes sense. Thailand has Shia Muslims, and since Singapore is a global crossroads, it is not strange to find them here too. There is an information board behind the mosque. It says this mosque was built by merchants from Gujarat, India. That is right, Gujarati merchants again. This side of the road shows the back of the mosque. The mosque has a very restrained design, using solid, low-saturation colors for the main structure. The large building behind the prayer hall is likely office space. Inside the mosque, there are two prayer rooms, one in the front and one in the back, separated by several doors. Push open the door and you are in the inner prayer hall. There were two elderly men inside at the time, and one of them really looked a bit like Modi. After all, they are both Gujarati, and appearance is related to geography, so it is not strange that they look a bit alike. There is a long flag on each side of the mihrab, one red and one green. Other mosques do not have these kinds of flags, so let us zoom in to see what is written on them. The content on both flags is basically the same. From top to bottom, it is written: Allah, Muhammad (the Prophet himself), Ali (the fourth Caliph), Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter and Ali's wife), Hasan (the eldest son of Ali and Fatimah), and Husayn (the second son of Ali and Fatimah). The red banner adds an exclamation word, 'Ya', before each name. There is similar content on the wall as well. Since I did not see any specific differences between how Shia and Sunni Muslims perform namaz during this visit to a Shia mosque, I decided to go to Iran to see for myself. That is how the later trip to Iran came about. Friends who are interested can check out my travel notes on Iranian mosques in my official WeChat account.

6. The prayer room (surau) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

After seeing so many mosques, let us now take a look at a prayer room. What is the difference between a prayer room and a mosque? The size of the space is secondary; indeed, generally speaking, a prayer room is smaller than a mosque. But some mosques are actually very small. From what I have seen, prayer rooms usually do not have permanent staff. People come here to pray in a group they organized themselves, or they pray alone and then leave. It is not like a mosque where there are permanent staff to call the adhan and lead the five daily prayers. Another difference is that prayer rooms are usually much simpler than mosques and lack necessary facilities. Mosques have toilets, a room for minor ablution (wudu), and a room for major ablution (ghusl). As for prayer rooms, some have toilets and an area for minor ablution. Some only have a few water taps. The prayer room I am going to talk about next is actually quite large, so you will see the difference between it and a mosque. First of all, it looks very plain, with no minaret and no sign on the door. To passersby, this place just looks like a small shed. When you enter the prayer room, there is actually a small courtyard inside. The courtyard has long tables and benches, as well as free tea. People who come to pray can sit on the benches to rest for a while and drink some water. You have to drink water in this Singapore weather. I usually do not drink much water, but I drink two bottles of mineral water a day since coming to Singapore. Inside the prayer room, I saw medical staff from the hospital coming to pray, and I even met a Singapore police officer here once. This prayer room is quite large, even bigger than some small mosques. There are many straw mats (liangxi) in the prayer room porch. When it gets crowded, people spread them out to use as prayer rugs. This shows that many people come here for Friday congregational prayers. The prayer schedule inside the room is electronic, but it might be broken because it is not showing the times. So now they are using this manual prayer schedule, where the times can be adjusted by hand.

7. The prayer room at Marina One

Marina One is a shopping mall in the CBD area near the Singapore waterfront. According to the map, there is a prayer room in this underground mall. I spent a long time looking for it on my first visit and even asked an Indian security guard at the nearby parking lot where the prayer room was. The security guard was very kind and pointed me in the right direction. The prayer room is on the B2 level, which is the first floor down. You can see the Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands, from the mall entrance. After going down, follow the path and you will see a round window. It looks like a laundry shop decorated to look like a washing machine. The prayer room is right next to this laundry shop. The prayer room is easy to find because it is marked with a dome and a star and crescent symbol. Open this door and you will see a small door on both the left and the right. Men go to the left and women to the right to pray separately. The prayer room is right through the door. The facilities for wudu (ablution) are very basic and only cover the essential parts, so you should still use a nearby restroom stall for a full wash. A prayer room is just what it sounds like: a small room where you can perform namaz. The facilities inside are simple, so there is no mihrab and no podium. There is no minbar chair. However, this prayer room has an unexpectedly large number of books. The back is filled with all kinds of books, and there are even missionary materials. It is normal to see these in a mosque since tourists visit, but since only Muslims come to the prayer room, why are there missionary materials here? Once you leave the prayer room, this mall is no different from any other mall in Singapore. It mainly has restaurants, therapy centers, supermarkets, and similar shops. That is all for this episode, as we only covered these few places. We will continue with the rest next time.



The surprises at this small mosque do not end there; it even has a small museum. The guide is an older Tamil Indian man who works at the mosque. He speaks Tamil, a language with a very fast speaking pace. Because of this, he also speaks English at a very high speed.

The mosque houses fragments of handwritten Quran manuscripts and a Chinese translation of the Quran by Mr. Ma Jian. On the wall, there is an interactive display of the 99 Names of Allah. The front features Arabic calligraphy of the names, and the back shows the English translation. Interested friends can search my homepage for the post about Abdul Gafoor Mosque.

4. Angullia Mosque

Angullia Mosque was built by the Angullia family, a family that has also built mosques in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. They come from Gujarat, India, which is Modi's hometown. Their family is good at business, so they travel everywhere to trade. This Nagore Dargah Mosque (Anguliya Mosque) is the one they built in Singapore. The color scheme reminds people of the red sandstone often used in Indian architecture.

The prayer area inside the mosque has two floors, and the second floor is about half the length of the first. There is a small transparent dome above the mihrab that lets light in. I found a Quran translated into Bengali in the mosque. Bangladesh is also a Muslim country, where over 90 percent of the population is Muslim. Bengali uses the Bengali script. Seeing this Brahmic script used for the Quran really reminded me of the scriptures of another religion. The presence of a Bengali Quran in the mosque shows that many Bengali people come here to pray. The mosque's courtyard is very small, but they still managed to set up an exhibition area. It displays meaningful items used by the mosque in the past, such as bricks from when the old mosque was built and pots used for cooking porridge. They did not waste the mosque's outer walls either. They posted a brief introduction to the Anguliya family on the walls, along with photos of mosques their family built in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and other places. (I didn't expect to see that they even have them in the Philippines.)

5. Burhani Mosque (the only Shia mosque in Singapore)

At the Abdul Gafoor Mosque mentioned earlier, a Tamil guide told me that Singapore has a Shia mosque. I was immediately interested because I had never been to a Shia mosque in my life. I used to think you could only see Shia mosques in Iran or Iraq, so I was surprised to find one in Singapore. On second thought, it makes sense. Thailand has Shia Muslims, and since Singapore is a global crossroads, it is not strange to find them here too. There is an information board behind the mosque. It says this mosque was built by merchants from Gujarat, India. That is right, Gujarati merchants again. This side of the road shows the back of the mosque. The mosque has a very restrained design, using solid, low-saturation colors for the main structure. The large building behind the prayer hall is likely office space. Inside the mosque, there are two prayer rooms, one in the front and one in the back, separated by several doors. Push open the door and you are in the inner prayer hall. There were two elderly men inside at the time, and one of them really looked a bit like Modi. After all, they are both Gujarati, and appearance is related to geography, so it is not strange that they look a bit alike. There is a long flag on each side of the mihrab, one red and one green. Other mosques do not have these kinds of flags, so let us zoom in to see what is written on them. The content on both flags is basically the same. From top to bottom, it is written: Allah, Muhammad (the Prophet himself), Ali (the fourth Caliph), Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter and Ali's wife), Hasan (the eldest son of Ali and Fatimah), and Husayn (the second son of Ali and Fatimah). The red banner adds an exclamation word, 'Ya', before each name. There is similar content on the wall as well. Since I did not see any specific differences between how Shia and Sunni Muslims perform namaz during this visit to a Shia mosque, I decided to go to Iran to see for myself. That is how the later trip to Iran came about. Friends who are interested can check out my travel notes on Iranian mosques in my official WeChat account.

6. The prayer room (surau) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

After seeing so many mosques, let us now take a look at a prayer room. What is the difference between a prayer room and a mosque? The size of the space is secondary; indeed, generally speaking, a prayer room is smaller than a mosque. But some mosques are actually very small. From what I have seen, prayer rooms usually do not have permanent staff. People come here to pray in a group they organized themselves, or they pray alone and then leave. It is not like a mosque where there are permanent staff to call the adhan and lead the five daily prayers. Another difference is that prayer rooms are usually much simpler than mosques and lack necessary facilities. Mosques have toilets, a room for minor ablution (wudu), and a room for major ablution (ghusl). As for prayer rooms, some have toilets and an area for minor ablution. Some only have a few water taps. The prayer room I am going to talk about next is actually quite large, so you will see the difference between it and a mosque. First of all, it looks very plain, with no minaret and no sign on the door. To passersby, this place just looks like a small shed. When you enter the prayer room, there is actually a small courtyard inside. The courtyard has long tables and benches, as well as free tea. People who come to pray can sit on the benches to rest for a while and drink some water. You have to drink water in this Singapore weather. I usually do not drink much water, but I drink two bottles of mineral water a day since coming to Singapore. Inside the prayer room, I saw medical staff from the hospital coming to pray, and I even met a Singapore police officer here once. This prayer room is quite large, even bigger than some small mosques. There are many straw mats (liangxi) in the prayer room porch. When it gets crowded, people spread them out to use as prayer rugs. This shows that many people come here for Friday congregational prayers. The prayer schedule inside the room is electronic, but it might be broken because it is not showing the times. So now they are using this manual prayer schedule, where the times can be adjusted by hand.

7. The prayer room at Marina One

Marina One is a shopping mall in the CBD area near the Singapore waterfront. According to the map, there is a prayer room in this underground mall. I spent a long time looking for it on my first visit and even asked an Indian security guard at the nearby parking lot where the prayer room was. The security guard was very kind and pointed me in the right direction. The prayer room is on the B2 level, which is the first floor down. You can see the Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands, from the mall entrance. After going down, follow the path and you will see a round window. It looks like a laundry shop decorated to look like a washing machine. The prayer room is right next to this laundry shop. The prayer room is easy to find because it is marked with a dome and a star and crescent symbol. Open this door and you will see a small door on both the left and the right. Men go to the left and women to the right to pray separately. The prayer room is right through the door. The facilities for wudu (ablution) are very basic and only cover the essential parts, so you should still use a nearby restroom stall for a full wash. A prayer room is just what it sounds like: a small room where you can perform namaz. The facilities inside are simple, so there is no mihrab and no podium. There is no pulpit (minbar). However, this prayer room has an unexpectedly large number of books. The back is filled with all kinds of books, and there are even missionary materials. It is normal to see these in a mosque since tourists visit, but since only Muslims come to the prayer room, why are there missionary materials here? Once you leave the prayer room, this mall is no different from any other mall in Singapore. It mainly has restaurants, therapy centers, supermarkets, and similar shops. That is all for this episode, as we only covered these few places. We will continue with the rest next time.



The mosque houses fragments of handwritten Quran manuscripts and a Chinese translation of the Quran by Mr. Ma Jian. On the wall, there is an interactive display of the 99 Names of Allah. The front features Arabic calligraphy of the names, and the back shows the English translation. Interested friends can search my homepage for the post about Abdul Gafoor Mosque.

4. Angullia Mosque

Angullia Mosque was built by the Angullia family, a family that has also built mosques in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. They come from Gujarat, India, which is Modi's hometown. Their family is good at business, so they travel everywhere to trade. This Nagore Dargah Mosque (Anguliya Mosque) is the one they built in Singapore. The color scheme reminds people of the red sandstone often used in Indian architecture.

The prayer area inside the mosque has two floors, and the second floor is about half the length of the first. There is a small transparent dome above the mihrab that lets light in. I found a Quran translated into Bengali in the mosque. Bangladesh is also a Muslim country, where over 90 percent of the population is Muslim. Bengali uses the Bengali script. Seeing this Brahmic script used for the Quran really reminded me of the scriptures of another religion. The presence of a Bengali Quran in the mosque shows that many Bengali people come here to pray. The mosque's courtyard is very small, but they still managed to set up an exhibition area. It displays meaningful items used by the mosque in the past, such as bricks from when the old mosque was built and pots used for cooking porridge. They did not waste the mosque's outer walls either. They posted a brief introduction to the Anguliya family on the walls, along with photos of mosques their family built in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and other places. (I didn't expect to see that they even have them in the Philippines.)

5. Burhani Mosque (the only Shia mosque in Singapore)

At the Abdul Gafoor Mosque mentioned earlier, a Tamil guide told me that Singapore has a Shia mosque. I was immediately interested because I had never been to a Shia mosque in my life. I used to think you could only see Shia mosques in Iran or Iraq, so I was surprised to find one in Singapore. On second thought, it makes sense. Thailand has Shia Muslims, and since Singapore is a global crossroads, it is not strange to find them here too. There is an information board behind the mosque. It says this mosque was built by merchants from Gujarat, India. That is right, Gujarati merchants again. This side of the road shows the back of the mosque. The mosque has a very restrained design, using solid, low-saturation colors for the main structure. The large building behind the prayer hall is likely office space. Inside the mosque, there are two prayer rooms, one in the front and one in the back, separated by several doors. Push open the door and you are in the inner prayer hall. There were two elderly men inside at the time, and one of them really looked a bit like Modi. After all, they are both Gujarati, and appearance is related to geography, so it is not strange that they look a bit alike. There is a long flag on each side of the mihrab, one red and one green. Other mosques do not have these kinds of flags, so let us zoom in to see what is written on them. The content on both flags is basically the same. From top to bottom, it is written: Allah, Muhammad (the Prophet himself), Ali (the fourth Caliph), Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter and Ali's wife), Hasan (the eldest son of Ali and Fatimah), and Husayn (the second son of Ali and Fatimah). The red banner adds an exclamation word, 'Ya', before each name. There is similar content on the wall as well. Since I did not see any specific differences between how Shia and Sunni Muslims perform namaz during this visit to a Shia mosque, I decided to go to Iran to see for myself. That is how the later trip to Iran came about. Friends who are interested can check out my travel notes on Iranian mosques in my official WeChat account.

6. The prayer room (surau) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

After seeing so many mosques, let us now take a look at a prayer room. What is the difference between a prayer room and a mosque? The size of the space is secondary; indeed, generally speaking, a prayer room is smaller than a mosque. But some mosques are actually very small. From what I have seen, prayer rooms usually do not have permanent staff. People come here to pray in a group they organized themselves, or they pray alone and then leave. It is not like a mosque where there are permanent staff to call the adhan and lead the five daily prayers. Another difference is that prayer rooms are usually much simpler than mosques and lack necessary facilities. Mosques have toilets, a room for minor ablution (wudu), and a room for major ablution (ghusl). As for prayer rooms, some have toilets and an area for minor ablution. Some only have a few water taps. The prayer room I am going to talk about next is actually quite large, so you will see the difference between it and a mosque. First of all, it looks very plain, with no minaret and no sign on the door. To passersby, this place just looks like a small shed. When you enter the prayer room, there is actually a small courtyard inside. The courtyard has long tables and benches, as well as free tea. People who come to pray can sit on the benches to rest for a while and drink some water. You have to drink water in this Singapore weather. I usually do not drink much water, but I drink two bottles of mineral water a day since coming to Singapore. Inside the prayer room, I saw medical staff from the hospital coming to pray, and I even met a Singapore police officer here once. This prayer room is quite large, even bigger than some small mosques. There are many straw mats (liangxi) in the prayer room porch. When it gets crowded, people spread them out to use as prayer rugs. This shows that many people come here for Friday congregational prayers. The prayer schedule inside the room is electronic, but it might be broken because it is not showing the times. So now they are using this manual prayer schedule, where the times can be adjusted by hand.

7. The prayer room at Marina One

Marina One is a shopping mall in the CBD area near the Singapore waterfront. According to the map, there is a prayer room in this underground mall. I spent a long time looking for it on my first visit and even asked an Indian security guard at the nearby parking lot where the prayer room was. The security guard was very kind and pointed me in the right direction. The prayer room is on the B2 level, which is the first floor down. You can see the Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands, from the mall entrance. After going down, follow the path and you will see a round window. It looks like a laundry shop decorated to look like a washing machine. The prayer room is right next to this laundry shop. The prayer room is easy to find because it is marked with a dome and a star and crescent symbol. Open this door and you will see a small door on both the left and the right. Men go to the left and women to the right to pray separately. The prayer room is right through the door. The facilities for wudu (ablution) are very basic and only cover the essential parts, so you should still use a nearby restroom stall for a full wash. A prayer room is just what it sounds like: a small room where you can perform namaz. The facilities inside are simple, so there is no mihrab and no podium. There is no pulpit (minbar). However, this prayer room has an unexpectedly large number of books. The back is filled with all kinds of books, and there are even missionary materials. It is normal to see these in a mosque since tourists visit, but since only Muslims come to the prayer room, why are there missionary materials here? Once you leave the prayer room, this mall looks just like any other mall in Singapore. It mostly has restaurants, therapy centers, and supermarkets. That is all for this episode, as we only covered these few places. We will continue with the rest next time.



The prayer area inside the mosque has two floors, and the second floor is about half the length of the first. There is a small transparent dome above the mihrab that lets light in.

I found a Quran translated into Bengali in the mosque. Bangladesh is also a Muslim country, where over 90 percent of the population is Muslim. Bengali uses the Bengali script. Seeing this Brahmic script used for the Quran really reminded me of the scriptures of another religion. The presence of a Bengali Quran in the mosque shows that many Bengali people come here to pray. The mosque's courtyard is very small, but they still managed to set up an exhibition area. It displays meaningful items used by the mosque in the past, such as bricks from when the old mosque was built and pots used for cooking porridge. They did not waste the mosque's outer walls either. They posted a brief introduction to the Anguliya family on the walls, along with photos of mosques their family built in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and other places. (I didn't expect to see that they even have them in the Philippines.)

5. Burhani Mosque (the only Shia mosque in Singapore)

At the Abdul Gafoor Mosque mentioned earlier, a Tamil guide told me that Singapore has a Shia mosque. I was immediately interested because I had never been to a Shia mosque in my life. I used to think you could only see Shia mosques in Iran or Iraq, so I was surprised to find one in Singapore. On second thought, it makes sense. Thailand has Shia Muslims, and since Singapore is a global crossroads, it is not strange to find them here too. There is an information board behind the mosque. It says this mosque was built by merchants from Gujarat, India. That is right, Gujarati merchants again. This side of the road shows the back of the mosque. The mosque has a very restrained design, using solid, low-saturation colors for the main structure. The large building behind the prayer hall is likely office space. Inside the mosque, there are two prayer rooms, one in the front and one in the back, separated by several doors. Push open the door and you are in the inner prayer hall. There were two elderly men inside at the time, and one of them really looked a bit like Modi. After all, they are both Gujarati, and appearance is related to geography, so it is not strange that they look a bit alike. There is a long flag on each side of the mihrab, one red and one green. Other mosques do not have these kinds of flags, so let us zoom in to see what is written on them. The content on both flags is basically the same. From top to bottom, it is written: Allah, Muhammad (the Prophet himself), Ali (the fourth Caliph), Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter and Ali's wife), Hasan (the eldest son of Ali and Fatimah), and Husayn (the second son of Ali and Fatimah). The red banner adds an exclamation word, 'Ya', before each name. There is similar content on the wall as well. Since I did not see any specific differences between how Shia and Sunni Muslims perform namaz during this visit to a Shia mosque, I decided to go to Iran to see for myself. That is how the later trip to Iran came about. Friends who are interested can check out my travel notes on Iranian mosques in my official WeChat account.

6. The prayer room (surau) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

After seeing so many mosques, let us now take a look at a prayer room. What is the difference between a prayer room and a mosque? The size of the space is secondary; indeed, generally speaking, a prayer room is smaller than a mosque. But some mosques are actually very small. From what I have seen, prayer rooms usually do not have permanent staff. People come here to pray in a group they organized themselves, or they pray alone and then leave. It is not like a mosque where there are permanent staff to call the adhan and lead the five daily prayers. Another difference is that prayer rooms are usually much simpler than mosques and lack necessary facilities. Mosques have toilets, a room for minor ablution (wudu), and a room for major ablution (ghusl). As for prayer rooms, some have toilets and an area for minor ablution. Some only have a few water taps. The prayer room I am going to talk about next is actually quite large, so you will see the difference between it and a mosque. First of all, it looks very plain, with no minaret and no sign on the door. To passersby, this place just looks like a small shed. When you enter the prayer room, there is actually a small courtyard inside. The courtyard has long tables and benches, as well as free tea. People who come to pray can sit on the benches to rest for a while and drink some water. You have to drink water in this Singapore weather. I usually do not drink much water, but I drink two bottles of mineral water a day since coming to Singapore. Inside the prayer room, I saw medical staff from the hospital coming to pray, and I even met a Singapore police officer here once. This prayer room is quite large, even bigger than some small mosques. There are many straw mats (liangxi) in the prayer room porch. When it gets crowded, people spread them out to use as prayer rugs. This shows that many people come here for Friday congregational prayers. The prayer schedule inside the room is electronic, but it might be broken because it is not showing the times. So now they are using this manual prayer schedule, where the times can be adjusted by hand.

7. The prayer room at Marina One

Marina One is a shopping mall in the CBD area near the Singapore waterfront. According to the map, there is a prayer room in this underground mall. I spent a long time looking for it on my first visit and even asked an Indian security guard at the nearby parking lot where the prayer room was. The security guard was very kind and pointed me in the right direction. The prayer room is on the B2 level, which is the first floor down. You can see the Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands, from the mall entrance. After going down, follow the path and you will see a round window. It looks like a laundry shop decorated to look like a washing machine. The prayer room is right next to this laundry shop. The prayer room is easy to find because it is marked with a dome and a star and crescent symbol. Open this door and you will see a small door on both the left and the right. Men go to the left and women to the right to pray separately. The prayer room is right through the door. The facilities for wudu (ablution) are very basic and only cover the essential parts, so you should still use a nearby restroom stall for a full wash. A prayer room is just what it sounds like: a small room where you can perform namaz. The facilities inside are simple, so there is no mihrab and no podium. There is no pulpit (minbar). However, this prayer room has an unexpectedly large number of books. The back is filled with all kinds of books, and there are even missionary materials. It is normal to see these in a mosque since tourists visit, but since only Muslims come to the prayer room, why are there missionary materials here? Once you leave the prayer room, this mall is no different from any other mall in Singapore. It mainly has restaurants, therapy centers, supermarkets, and similar shops. That is all for this episode, as we only covered these few places. We will continue with the rest next time.





The mosque's courtyard is very small, but they still managed to set up an exhibition area. It displays meaningful items used by the mosque in the past, such as bricks from when the old mosque was built and pots used for cooking porridge. They did not waste the mosque's outer walls either. They posted a brief introduction to the Anguliya family on the walls, along with photos of mosques their family built in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and other places. (I didn't expect to see that they even have them in the Philippines.)

5. Burhani Mosque (the only Shia mosque in Singapore)

At the Abdul Gafoor Mosque mentioned earlier, a Tamil guide told me that Singapore has a Shia mosque. I was immediately interested because I had never been to a Shia mosque in my life. I used to think you could only see Shia mosques in Iran or Iraq, so I was surprised to find one in Singapore. On second thought, it makes sense. Thailand has Shia Muslims, and since Singapore is a global crossroads, it is not strange to find them here too. There is an information board behind the mosque. It says this mosque was built by merchants from Gujarat, India. That is right, Gujarati merchants again. This side of the road shows the back of the mosque. The mosque has a very restrained design, using solid, low-saturation colors for the main structure. The large building behind the prayer hall is likely office space. Inside the mosque, there are two prayer rooms, one in the front and one in the back, separated by several doors. Push open the door and you are in the inner prayer hall. There were two elderly men inside at the time, and one of them really looked a bit like Modi. After all, they are both Gujarati, and appearance is related to geography, so it is not strange that they look a bit alike. There is a long flag on each side of the mihrab, one red and one green. Other mosques do not have these kinds of flags, so let us zoom in to see what is written on them. The content on both flags is basically the same. From top to bottom, it is written: Allah, Muhammad (the Prophet himself), Ali (the fourth Caliph), Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter and Ali's wife), Hasan (the eldest son of Ali and Fatimah), and Husayn (the second son of Ali and Fatimah). The red banner adds an exclamation word, 'Ya', before each name. There is similar content on the wall as well. Since I did not see any specific differences between how Shia and Sunni Muslims perform namaz during this visit to a Shia mosque, I decided to go to Iran to see for myself. That is how the later trip to Iran came about. Friends who are interested can check out my travel notes on Iranian mosques in my official WeChat account.

6. The prayer room (surau) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

After seeing so many mosques, let us now take a look at a prayer room. What is the difference between a prayer room and a mosque? The size of the space is secondary; indeed, generally speaking, a prayer room is smaller than a mosque. But some mosques are actually very small. From what I have seen, prayer rooms usually do not have permanent staff. People come here to pray in a group they organized themselves, or they pray alone and then leave. It is not like a mosque where there are permanent staff to call the adhan and lead the five daily prayers. Another difference is that prayer rooms are usually much simpler than mosques and lack necessary facilities. Mosques have toilets, a room for minor ablution (wudu), and a room for major ablution (ghusl). As for prayer rooms, some have toilets and an area for minor ablution. Some only have a few water taps. The prayer room I am going to talk about next is actually quite large, so you will see the difference between it and a mosque. First of all, it looks very plain, with no minaret and no sign on the door. To passersby, this place just looks like a small shed. When you enter the prayer room, there is actually a small courtyard inside. The courtyard has long tables and benches, as well as free tea. People who come to pray can sit on the benches to rest for a while and drink some water. You have to drink water in this Singapore weather. I usually do not drink much water, but I drink two bottles of mineral water a day since coming to Singapore. Inside the prayer room, I saw medical staff from the hospital coming to pray, and I even met a Singapore police officer here once. This prayer room is quite large, even bigger than some small mosques. There are many straw mats (liangxi) in the prayer room porch. When it gets crowded, people spread them out to use as prayer rugs. This shows that many people come here for Friday congregational prayers. The prayer schedule inside the room is electronic, but it might be broken because it is not showing the times. So now they are using this manual prayer schedule, where the times can be adjusted by hand.

7. The prayer room at Marina One

Marina One is a shopping mall in the CBD area near the Singapore waterfront. According to the map, there is a prayer room in this underground mall. I spent a long time looking for it on my first visit and even asked an Indian security guard at the nearby parking lot where the prayer room was. The security guard was very kind and pointed me in the right direction. The prayer room is on the B2 level, which is the first floor down. You can see the Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands, from the mall entrance. After going down, follow the path and you will see a round window. It looks like a laundry shop decorated to look like a washing machine. The prayer room is right next to this laundry shop. The prayer room is easy to find because it is marked with a dome and a star and crescent symbol. Open this door and you will see a small door on both the left and the right. Men go to the left and women to the right to pray separately. The prayer room is right through the door. The facilities for wudu (ablution) are very basic and only cover the essential parts, so you should still use a nearby restroom stall for a full wash. A prayer room is just what it sounds like: a small room where you can perform namaz. The facilities inside are simple, so there is no mihrab and no podium. There is no pulpit (minbar). However, this prayer room has an unexpectedly large number of books. The back is filled with all kinds of books, and there are even missionary materials. It is normal to see these in a mosque since tourists visit, but since only Muslims come to the prayer room, why are there missionary materials here? Once you leave the prayer room, this mall is no different from any other mall in Singapore. It mainly has restaurants, therapy centers, supermarkets, and similar shops. That is all for this episode, as we only covered these few places. We will continue with the rest next time.



(I didn't expect to see that they even have them in the Philippines.)

5. Burhani Mosque (the only Shia mosque in Singapore)

At the Abdul Gafoor Mosque mentioned earlier, a Tamil guide told me that Singapore has a Shia mosque. I was immediately interested because I had never been to a Shia mosque in my life. I used to think you could only see Shia mosques in Iran or Iraq, so I was surprised to find one in Singapore. On second thought, it makes sense. Thailand has Shia Muslims, and since Singapore is a global crossroads, it is not strange to find them here too.

There is an information board behind the mosque. It says this mosque was built by merchants from Gujarat, India. That is right, Gujarati merchants again.

This side of the road shows the back of the mosque. The mosque has a very restrained design, using solid, low-saturation colors for the main structure. The large building behind the prayer hall is likely office space. Inside the mosque, there are two prayer rooms, one in the front and one in the back, separated by several doors. Push open the door and you are in the inner prayer hall. There were two elderly men inside at the time, and one of them really looked a bit like Modi. After all, they are both Gujarati, and appearance is related to geography, so it is not strange that they look a bit alike. There is a long flag on each side of the mihrab, one red and one green. Other mosques do not have these kinds of flags, so let us zoom in to see what is written on them. The content on both flags is basically the same. From top to bottom, it is written: Allah, Muhammad (the Prophet himself), Ali (the fourth Caliph), Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter and Ali's wife), Hasan (the eldest son of Ali and Fatimah), and Husayn (the second son of Ali and Fatimah). The red banner adds an exclamation word, 'Ya', before each name. There is similar content on the wall as well. Since I did not see any specific differences between how Shia and Sunni Muslims perform namaz during this visit to a Shia mosque, I decided to go to Iran to see for myself. That is how the later trip to Iran came about. Friends who are interested can check out my travel notes on Iranian mosques in my official WeChat account.

6. The prayer room (surau) at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

After seeing so many mosques, let us now take a look at a prayer room. What is the difference between a prayer room and a mosque? The size of the space is secondary; indeed, generally speaking, a prayer room is smaller than a mosque. But some mosques are actually very small. From what I have seen, prayer rooms usually do not have permanent staff. People come here to pray in a group they organized themselves, or they pray alone and then leave. It is not like a mosque where there are permanent staff to call the adhan and lead the five daily prayers. Another difference is that prayer rooms are usually much simpler than mosques and lack necessary facilities. Mosques have toilets, a room for minor ablution (wudu), and a room for major ablution (ghusl). As for prayer rooms, some have toilets and an area for minor ablution. Some only have a few water taps. The prayer room I am going to talk about next is actually quite large, so you will see the difference between it and a mosque. First of all, it looks very plain, with no minaret and no sign on the door. To passersby, this place just looks like a small shed. When you enter the prayer room, there is actually a small courtyard inside. The courtyard has long tables and benches, as well as free tea. People who come to pray can sit on the benches to rest for a while and drink some water. You have to drink water in this Singapore weather. I usually do not drink much water, but I drink two bottles of mineral water a day since coming to Singapore. Inside the prayer room, I saw medical staff from the hospital coming to pray, and I even met a Singapore police officer here once. This prayer room is quite large, even bigger than some small mosques. There are many straw mats (liangxi) in the prayer room porch. When it gets crowded, people spread them out to use as prayer rugs. This shows that many people come here for Friday congregational prayers. The prayer schedule inside the room is electronic, but it might be broken because it is not showing the times. So now they are using this manual prayer schedule, where the times can be adjusted by hand.

7. The prayer room at Marina One

Marina One is a shopping mall in the CBD area near the Singapore waterfront. According to the map, there is a prayer room in this underground mall. I spent a long time looking for it on my first visit and even asked an Indian security guard at the nearby parking lot where the prayer room was. The security guard was very kind and pointed me in the right direction. The prayer room is on the B2 level, which is the first floor down. You can see the Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands, from the mall entrance. After going down, follow the path and you will see a round window. It looks like a laundry shop decorated to look like a washing machine. The prayer room is right next to this laundry shop. The prayer room is easy to find because it is marked with a dome and a star and crescent symbol. Open this door and you will see a small door on both the left and the right. Men go to the left and women to the right to pray separately. The prayer room is right th Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Singapore Muslim travel guide visits Temenggong Mosque and its complex ties to Malaysia. It keeps the source route, mosque setting, heritage notes, and Malay historical context in the same order.

This mosque is called the Temenggong Mosque, and it is not far from the Malay-style mosque I visited last time. This mosque has deep, complex ties to Malaysia.

The most unique thing about this mosque is that even though it is in Singapore, the land and sovereignty still belong to the Sultan of Johor, Malaysia. That is why two flags fly at the entrance of the prayer hall: the Singapore national flag and the flag of the Malaysian state of Johor.

This mosque was reportedly once the audience hall of the Temenggong's palace before it was converted into a mosque.

The mosque is a single-story octagonal building, as you can see in picture six.













There is a large fan in the center that spins constantly to keep the prayer hall just barely cool.

Under the fan is a small incense burner (picture seven). This is my first time seeing an incense burner placed in the middle of a main prayer hall.



The mosque's porch is pure white, and the doors have shutters to help with heat dissipation. Singapore does not need to worry about keeping warm or protecting against the cold at all. That is why the area for performing wudu (small ablution) is outdoors. Of course, the area for performing ghusl (major ablution) is still indoors.

Right next to the mosque is a museum with a sign that says Johor Royal Museum, but unfortunately, it was not open when I visited. I did see the Muslim cemetery behind the mosque, which seems to be on the same plot of land as the museum.

As I mentioned, this mosque is near Sentosa Island, so I headed straight there after leaving. In the next post, I will show you the prayer room on Sentosa Island.



















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